


RWBY: Save The World

by TheGlowingMan



Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Fluff and Angst, Future Fic, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Political Intrigue, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Torture, Romance, Slight Horror Elements, regular torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-13 20:40:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 118,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13578540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGlowingMan/pseuds/TheGlowingMan
Summary: The world is scary place, an imperfect place. We all have things we’d like to change about the world, things that could make the world perfect. How far would you go to make the world a better place, to make it perfect? If someone stood in your way, what would you do to stop them?The perfect world to you may be different from the perfect world of someone else, after all.Five years after the death of Salem, the world for all intents and purposes has been saved, but it’s not perfect. People still suffer, wither, and die everyday. Sadness, anger, and hatred still run rampant. Some psychopath with a semblance could make themselves the next Roman Torchwick, Adam Taurus, or even Cinder Fall.The world is changing quickly and something is on the horizon, a hero, one who will shape the perfect world.Ruby Rose is said to be a hero.Weiss Schnee is said to be a hero.Blake Belladonna is said to be a hero.Yang Xiao Long is said to be a hero.But what have they done to save the world from itself?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! this is my first fic so please give me some feedback. what's good? what's bad? 
> 
> I've been sitting on this idea for a very long time and I finally decided to do something with it, but some warning I started working on this right when Volume 5 came out, so their might be some inconsistencies with cannon here and there.
> 
> I have a lot of the story written so far, I just need to motivate myself to edit it all. this is just the prologue and the next chapter is an interlude of sorts. I have no idea when chapters are gonna be coming out, so just keep your peepers peeled. 
> 
> Anyway please enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey! if this is your first time reading this fic, yous should probably know that this is a heavily improved chapter. it was really short when a put it way back when so I decided to improve it a bit more, give it more depths. hope you enjoy it and decide the give the rest of the fic a try. 
> 
> and to those of you coming from the chapter 20 notes, hey again! you'll know i mentioned editing the chapters so here we are! hope ya'll enjoy as well.

**Prologue: Thy Leaves O’er The Bed.**

 

The sweet summer winds of the evening blew across Patch, refreshing those it passed by with its soothing coolness. The sky was dull a orange that was slowly giving way to dreamy hues of purple as the sun got closer and closer to setting. It was perfect, _incredibly_ perfect.

 

It was a Friday, so that meant it was Summer’s turn to do the dishes, through her opened window she could hear Tai and the girls playing about as she scrubbed away. To her, Yang and Ruby’s giggles were more beautiful than any symphony, _even_ that one that had cannons in it and cannons were _freaking_ awesome!

 

The summer was winding down and Ruby would start school soon, which would mean seeing the girls and Tai a lot less, Ozpin always seemed to need her these days, it felt like almost every other week she was pulled away from her family and sent on some wild mission off in the middle of nowhere. She was beginning to grow weary of it all. She’d come a long way from her days at Beacon, being part of his inner circle felt more like a burden than a privilege now.

 

She had so much too lose now, it made the danger of it all stand out far more then when she was some energetic kid with a literal and magical twinkle in her eye. But all that said she still understood that her job was an important one, the _most_ important one, she protected people, the world. As much as she wanted to sometimes, she knew she could not turn her back on Ozpin.

 

Summer grabbed a plate from the sink and scrubbed at it with the sponge, only for the plate to suddenly slip from her hands and shatter onto the floor in a mosaic of different sized chunks. “Aw, shucks.” She said to herself, perhaps she’d had her head too far in the clouds and stopped paying attention.

 

Most likely it was just some bad luck... _bad luck?_

 

On a hunch, Summer looked out the window and saw none other than Qrow Branwen talking with Tai, Ruby and Yang latched onto each one of his legs. She was glad to see him and glad that the girls were happy to see him too, they really loved their uncle.

 

Although, she could only be _so_ glad,  Qrow showing up this late could only mean _one_ thing. Ozpin needed her for another mission.           

 

Sighing, Summer retrieved the broom and swept up the shards of plate into the dust pan, waiting for Qrow or Tai to come and retrieve her. When the door opened, she saw Tai carrying a tired looking Ruby and equally tired looking Yang following behind him.

 

When their eyes met he smiled, though she could tell that he wasn't exactly happy, he was worried. He always seemed to worried these days, not that it was anything new, even when they were younger he always seemed to worrying about someone.

 

“Qrow’s outside, he says it really urgent. I’ll grab your stuff and you can get the girls ready for bed, is that okay?”

 

Summer smiled apologetically as she took Ruby from Tai and grabbed a hold of Yang’s hand. “Thank you, honey.” she knelt in close and gave him a quick peck on the lips before taking the girls deeper into the house to get ready for bed.

 

Both of the girls were quiet as they brushed their teeth and changed into their pyjamas. It wasn't until Summer tucked Yang in that either spoke. “Are you going away again, Mommy?” she sounded absolutely heartbroken.

 

It was hard enough that every time she heard Yang call her ‘mom’ Summer felt her throat constrict and her eyes burn but the gloomy tone of her voice only made it worse. She gave the girl her best and brightest smile.“I'm sorry, sweetie but Mommy has some very important things to do. I'll be back before you know it!”

 

Suddenly something was weakly latching onto her back, turning her head, she saw it was Ruby. “No! I _don't_ want Mommy to go!” she cried, burying her face into her mother’s back.

 

Before Summer could even think on how to proceed, Yang launched herself out of bed and latched onto her front with a surprising amount of strength. “I don't want you to go, _too!_ You got hurt last time.”

 

At the mere mention of her injury, Summer’s right forearm throbbed. On her last mission she had gotten distracted and an Usra landed a lucky strike, the blow left three sizable lacerations and broke her forearm. She had needed several dozen stitches and her arm was in a sling for a while as well. Maybe it was it was sign of her declining skills but then again maybe she was just making excuses.

 

Freeing herself of Ruby and Yang’s hold, Summer brought both girls onto her lap. Ruby buried her face into her collarbone and Yang held her arm in a death grip, both girls were crying now and she was trying no to cry as well. With her one free hand she rubbed Ruby’s back in an attempt to calm her down. “Shhhh. Mommy knows it’s scary when she leaves. But I have to go help some people ok? I'll be back before you even now I'm gone.”                 

 

Yang sniffled. “Do you promise?” Ruby also gave her an expectant look, with her wide, watery silver eyes.

 

Nodded her head, Summer gave the two girls the brightest smile she could. “I _promise_ . And if you two behave yourselves for Daddy while I'm I'll bake some _cookies_ when I get back. How that sound?”

 

At the mention of cookies both girls instantly lit up, especially Ruby. “I’ll be the bestest behaved!” she cried excitedly, bringing a smile to Summer’s face.   

 

After that the girls were tucked in with no further fuss, kissing each girl on the forehead, Summer turned off the lights and went to leave. “Goodnight, girls. I love both you. Daddy will be up in a little bit.”

 

The quiet ‘love you’s she received mad her chest feel all warm and fuzzy as she made her way back downstairs and into the kitchen, where a melancholy looking Taiyang was leaned against the counter next to a heavy duty looking duffel bag.

 

“You didn't invite Qrow inside?” she asked.

 

Tai shrugged. “He didn't want to come in, you know he is, trying to play the mysterious and distant uncle.”

 

Both laughed, before falling into an awkward silence, Tai really looked like he wanted to say something but he remained silent. Summer reached for his hand but was taken by surprise when he pulled her into a near bone crushing embrace. “You be careful out there, you hear me? You gave us a real big scare last time.”

 

For a moment, Summer just stood there in her husband’s arms, soaking in the warmth. “You know I can’t make any promises, Tai.”

 

“You can promise to _try_.” was all he said in response.

 

Summer looked up at Tai and pressed her lips against his once more. “ _I promise._ ”

 

As they parted, Summer reached for her snow white cloak from the coat rack and clipped it on with practiced efficiency and slid her combat boots on, she wasn't in her full huntress get up but she could change later. Tai handed her the weighty duffel bag and she gave him one last kiss before she left for whatever Ozpin had in store for her. “I love you, Tai.”

 

“I love you too, keep on your toes.”

 

Twisting the door knob, Summer stepped out into the now surprisingly nippy night air. She could see Qrow sitting on a tree stump lips wrapped around his flask. “Good evening, partner!” she called as she got closer, he jumped in surprise and nearly fell off the stump.

 

Brushing off the fact that he nearly poured his whole flask all over himself, Qrow sat up and stretched his back. “Took you long enough, is there a part of _‘_ _really urgent_ _’_ that is confusing to you?”

 

Summer rolled her eyes and kicked Qrow in the shin playfully. “Well excuse me, my daughters really didn't want me to leave...neither did Tai either, now that I mention it.”

 

Qrow rolled his shoulders and gestured for Summer to follow him. “Well, you know how much of asset your are to Oz, he wanted to give you more time to rest but this is apparently a big deal.”

 

Hoisting her bag over her shoulder, Summer followed after her partner as they made they way down the trail and back into town. She was curious as to what exactly this urgent mission was. “Where are we headed, what going on...is it something with _Salem? ”_

 

“We're heading to one of Vale’s northernmost Islands, fishing settlement by the name of _Ward_. and about Salem, Ozpin didn't seem so sure, that’s about all I know. We’ll be briefed once we get to the airship.”

 

An annoyed feeling passed through Summer, she didn't like it when missions had little intel and she’d learned pretty quickly Ozpin liked to leave out of important details because he didn't want to scare people, he should have learned by now that if she hadn't been scared away already she probably never would be. “Something must have happened to a contact or another Hunter.” Summer guessed.

 

Qrow thought for a moment. “I haven't heard anything like that. Something happened in Haven a while back but that shouldn't have anything to do with _Ward_.”

 

“What happened in Haven?”

 

“Ozpin’s got a Huntsman stationed there, Shiro Wan, good friend of mine, he reports to Lionheart, mostly about the organized crime side of things. Couple weeks ago some guy comes around asking about “ _Maidens_ ” and “ _Relics_ ” and ruffling a lot of tail feathers while doing it. Shiro goes to investigate and he gets jumped and beat within an inch of his life. ”

 

 _That’s worrying_ , Summer thought for a moment. “Do you think it was that Rainart guy?” He really seemed to have it out for Ozpin, for whatever reason.

 

Taking another gulp from his flask and shook his head. “Shiro said he was jumped by two guys, one kinda matched the height but was wearing a helmet and the other was just regular guy, he had a staff or something similar.”  

 

That was odd, perhaps Salem was doing some more recruiting. She didn't know of any people outside of Ozpin and Salem’s groups that were aware of the Relics.

 

Looking towards the horizon, Summer could see Qrow’s airship resting gently on the waterfront and she psyched herself up as best she could as she got closer. It was a state of the art Atlas model, probably loaned to Qrow by Jimmy, it certainly _looked_ fast.  

 

The two Hunters boarded the ship with no exchange of words, the inside was empty not even a pilot in sight, she guessed it ran on auto pilot since Qrow had never been the best driver of any vehicle let alone an airship.

 

With a heavy clunk, Summer set down her bag and began rummaging through it, while Qrow fiddled with the controls in the cockpit. She had everything she could need for a long mission, food, ammunition, change of clothing, a few photographs of Tai in case her scroll broke, and last but certainly not least, her trusty _half-spear-half-high-caliber-semi-automatic-sniper-rifle_ , _Lancer Rose_.

 

The weapon’s glossy grey paint shone quite nicely in the muted light of the airship, more prominent than usual, which ment Tai must have polished it for her some time ago, probably while her arm was still in it’s sling. Summer shook her head, that man really was such sweetheart.

 

“Hey, Summer. I got Oz on the horn, he’s gonna debrief us.”  Qrow gravelly voice called from the front of the ship. Turning she could already see Ozpin’s collected face one of the consoles screens.

 

“Good evening, Summer. How is your arm feeling? ” the digitized face asked.

 

Summer sat down in the co-pilot seat and noted how the ship was now just beginning to tack off. She smiled. “It feels a lot better now. Though it’s still a little sore in some places.”

 

Ozpin hummed in understanding. “I'm sure Qrow has informed you that you're headed to the island of _Ward_ , correct?”

 

“Yes, he has. What’s our mission?”

 

“It should be fairly quick and easy. As you may or may not know, Ward has a neighboring island to its Southeast called _Streak._ For over 50 years Streak has been an uninhabited piece of land due to the large amount of _Grimm_ that nest their. Settlers and Hunter alike usually keep their distance most of the time but I have been notified that several weeks ago by my contact on Ward informed me that some strange activity was happening on Streak and before she could find more details she went completely radio silent.”

 

Leaning back in his chair, Qrow sighed tiredly. “So you want _us_ to find out what happened?”

 

Ozpin’s image nodded as he sipped at his mug. “Precisely. I suspect she was killed by Grimm, which doesn't bode well.”

 

Summer leaned forward quizzically. “Why’s that?”

 

“Aspen Woods was an incredible fighter, her semblance allowed her to cut through _anything_ she touched. So you two be careful, contact me as soon as you find something concrete. Ozpin out.”

 

And with that Ozpin hung up, Qrow whistled. “That’s gotta be one pretty tough Grimm if it can get through a semblance like that.”

 

“Could be more than one, Qrow. you know what happens when Grimm grow old... she probably fell into nest Elder Deathstalkers or _Superior Geists_.”

 

Qrow shivered in his seat. “Let’s hope not, I _hate_ Geists.” he looked at one of the blinking monitors on the console. “We've got a couple hours to burn, should probably get some rest while we can.”

 

“ _Sure_.”

 

Looking out into the night sky, Summer tried to get comfortable in her seat but she couldn't fight off this nagging feeling of unease in her stomach and Qrow must have noticed, he was always very perceptive. He sighed. “What’s the matter, Summer?”  

 

Summer placed her hand on the ship’s cold window. “I knew, Aspen, she was a year or two ahead of us at Beacon. I remember having a couple leaderships classes with her, she was a good woman.”

 

“They always are aren't they?” Qrow responded, still reclining in his chair.

 

 _They always are._ She thought to herself, Aspen wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last person to lost in this _war_ . More and more everyday it seemed someone else, good _or_ evil was injured or killed either by Grimm or a member of the opposing side. Summer understood that there were some people that _needed_ to die, that sometimes there were no other options but that didn't mean it made her feel any less nauseated. Killing Grimm was something she understood, they were monsters that only destroyed and brought chaos, they were beasts...but when people became the monsters that was where she found pause, she would often wonder what drove people to hurt others. Did they enjoy it? Were they themselves hurt?

 

Salem thrived on people like that, she built her faction with people like that.

 

Summer silently prayed that Aspen had been killed by Grimm if she was even killed at all. She prayed she wouldn't have take the life of a person be them a bandit, rouge Hunter, or one of Salem’s slaves...she prayed that was some horrible beast beyond description, something that looked _nothing_ like her, something that she could make the distinction between.

 

Because when she killed a person, felt their hot blood on her skin, saw the light leave their eyes, smelt the scent of their demise. She couldn't deny that she was evil too and that the _good_ she fought for wasn't even real.  

 

It was just a different colour.

 

________________________

 

Ward was a miserable looking place, which Summer thought reflected well on how she was currently feeling about this mission. As soon as the airship landed it started raining and had not let up for what felt like hours now. Qrow had made the sound decision to land far away from the main settlement to arouse the least amount suspicion, which meant they had to trudge through the downpour while they hiked through potentially Grimm infested forest.

 

The amount of negativity they must have been giving off as they slogged through the mud should have attracted at least a Beowolf or two but nothing came, they didn't even hear anything. It was like the forest had already been cleared by someone else.

 

_Interesting._

 

By the time the two partners reach the settlement of Ward proper they were both drenched, Qrow more so than Summer since he didn't have a cloak. She was just glad her bag was waterproof.

 

The town itself was _archaic_ , almost Pre-Great War looking, every meager building was constructed from the same kind of dark, rotten looking wood. There were no roads just muddy paths scattered with foot and hoof prints. Dull green dust lamps hung from the sides of some the larger, more important looking buildings but the overall lighting they provided was _minimal_ . Nobody seemed to be about which made sense on account of how late it was _but_ it still didn't make it any less creepy.

 

“We should probably get a room at the Inn, if this place even has one.” Qrow grumbled, looking around, trying to discern what each building was.

 

Summer looked around some more, desperate to get out of this rain and caught a glimpse of a building with a sign that simply read ‘ _Tavern_ ’ so she grabbed Qrow and started dragging him to their new destination.

 

The door of the establishment swung open as Summer and Qrow entered. They quickly noticed the place was near abandoned with the exception of a man standing behind the bar.

 

“Ahoy, there. You looking for a place to stay or a _stiff drink?_ ”

 

Before Summer could answer, Qrow interrupted her. “ _Both_.”

 

She couldn't roll her eyes any harder. Qrow had always enjoyed his alcohol but ever since Raven disappear, he’d started carrying around that flask. She realized she was going to have to talk to him about it before it got any worse.   

 

The wizened bartender poured him a glass of dark, amber colored liquid, which he slammed back with little effort before gesturing for another.

 

Pale brown eyes met with Summer’s for a moment. “How ‘bout you, Missy?”

 

“I'm fine.”

 

The man simply nodded as he poured Qrow his third glass, which he didn't immediately chug, instead choosing to sip away at it like a normal person. “Pretty late to be out and about, especially in this weather. What brings ya?” he asked.

 

“We’re Hunters, looking for someone.”

 

The bartender laughed. “You gotta be shitting me? What is this four times now? You bunch are unquenchable ain’t cha?”

 

Qrow and Summer shared a confused look for a moment, before Summer turned back to the barmen and asked. “What are you talking about?”

 

He laughed again. “Well you see, _Streak_ our neighboring Island has got a very intricate underwater cave system, old Dust mines that got flooded a long time ago, which is just _infested_ with Sea Feilong. So about a year back these three stooges come into town, names of Axel, Roscoe, and Dekel and they cut in a deal with the Mayor to protect the town in exchange for a healthy cut of the profit from our fishing trade.”

 

A chuckle slips past the man’s lips as he continues. “The three did a well enough of protecting the place, better than relying on the scarce passing Huntsman. Then all of sudden this group of five come into town, two women, two men, and one _I don't even know what_ but it sure was _big_ . They come into town and the women start asking lots of questions about _Streak_ , while the three others keep it real quiet. Hell, one of them was even taking notes on a damn clipboard. Before even half a week passes Axel and his pals get into argument with the strange folk and it gets bloody real quick. The three of them get beat so bad, Dekel dies on the spot, Axel dies that night, and the doc says Roscoe’s in a coma he’s not ever gonna wake up from, so he pulls the plug. The next day the five were gone without a trace.”

 

Qrow interrupts. “This big one, did you see their face at all?”

 

The bartender just shook his head. “Nope, they were wearing some kind helmet, looked like bucket, real bulky. But that’s not even the strangest part. After they left, we haven't been attacked by a single Feilong, haven’t seen a single Grimm even. Few weeks later that tough looking Aspen lady came by, asking about what happened to Axel and his boys. Spent a lot of time skulking around the woods, taking pictures. Then she set off to Streak on a boat, hasn't been back since.”

 

“When did Aspen leave for Streak?” Summer asked.

 

“Couple of weeks ago.”

 

Both hunter fell quiet as the stewed on this new information. The same people who had roughed up Shiro had showed up in Ward, or at least one of them had, something was certainly afoot here, what were these people trying to figure out. More worrying however was Ozpin neglected to mention Axel, Roscoe, Dekel, _and_ the five others. Which meant either Aspen, didn't tell him or he was _hiding_ things again. As much as she hated it, she knew that Qrow and her had to investigate _Streak_ and find out what got Aspen and what was making the Grimm disappear.

 

Qrow polished off the last of his drink and shot the bartender at serious look. “How much for a room and a boat?”

 

The bartender shook his head. “ _Hell_ , you Hunter-types really like getting yourselves killed, huh? You can bunk for free tonight and I’ll let you borrow my old skiff, it’s nothing fancy but it’ll get you to Streak in one piece.”

 

The two hunters thanked the man and went to their room for the night, where they would formulate their plan for the next day.

 

“I say we wait till nightfall, tomorrow. Gives us a the most time to rest and the dark will give us more cover, easier for reconnaissance, I don't think there are any Grimm on that island anymore.” Summer said as she loaded a magazine with a Burn Dust tipped ammunition, she had tried to call Tai and tell him she’d arrived safely but they were so far from any CCT towers there was no signal. From their rooms window they had clear sight of _Streak_ off into the distance. The island silhouette jagged in some spot and lumpy in others, part forest, part mountainous, lots of places to hide.

 

Qrow nodded his head as he sat propped against the window sill, Harbinger resting on his lap in its compact form. ”Yeah, I don't think so either, this probably all about that Dust mine the bartender. My guess, the man with helmet is a merc. Aspen and this Axel guy were probably trying to get a hold of it themselves under Ozpin’s nose.”

 

“Who do you think hired the mercenaries then?”

 

He simply shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe, they had a disagreement or maybe there's a third party that knows about the mine.”    

 

Summer shook her head and continued to load her magazines. People could be so confusing sometimes, three people were already dead, maybe more and for what exactly? Some Dust? Some money? And tomorrow she was most likely going to increase the body count if they came across the man with the helmet and his friends.

 

What was her reason? _Justice?_ _What is the right thing to do?_ She wonders to herself. Qrow’s asleep on the window sill and Summer wraps him in a blanket, since he refuses to share a bed with her ever since her and Tai got married and always gets all awkward whenever she suggests it. He was a silly man, he was far too hard on himself, even more so since Raven ran off.

 

As she set her magazines back in her bag, Summer reclined in the small bed and stared up at the ceiling. She hoped Tai and the girls would be good while she was gone, after everything on Streak was dealt with Ozpin would probably have her oversee some kind of revitalization project to get the mines back up and running again. Even someone as pragmatic as him wasn't immune to sultry calls of profit.

 

________________________

 

When Summer woke it looked like it was midday, there was a bowl of lukewarm fish soup resting on the on the window sill, she ate it and was surprised by how well it tasted and then tried and failed to contact Tai again, before going back to sleep.

 

The next she woke it was dark out and it seemed to be raining again. Qrow was in the room this time sitting at the window sill again look out towards Streak. “Glad to see you're _finally_ awake. Was about get you up myself...we leave in half and hour.”

 

Summer yawned and gave a weak thumbs up, before dragging herself out of bed. She dug her Huntress gear out of her bag and changed, fitting her hand loaded magazines into her belt, clipping on her cloak and making sure _Lancer Rose_ was locked, loaded, and ready to go.

 

By the time they left the tavern the rain had only grown harsher. And occasionally the sky lit up with bright blue cracks of lighting. It was all rather ominous.

 

The two trudged their way to the docks where the bartender was waiting for them, clad in heavy raincoat next to an average looking motorboat. “This’ll get to Streak in a least four hours in this weather!” he called of the roar of the rain and the ocean.

 

Four hour? That was fine, Summer gave the man a thumbs up and followed after Qrow as he boarded the bobbing vessel, she nearly slipped but still managed to make it inside.

 

The bartender produced a bucket and handed it to Summer. “Use this to drain the boat of excess rain water! So you don't sink!” before turning to Qrow who was fiddling with the motor.“You remember what I told you this morning!?”

 

“Yeah, I got it!” he yelled back and before either them really knew it the boat was cutting through the rough ocean waves and speeding towards their destination.

 

Like the bar had said the voyage took four hours, four hours spent in silence as she flung water out the boat with bucket and Qrow tried not to tip the thing over or crash into rocks. They docked on a small grey stretch of sand and together the two pulled the vessel onto shore and away from the reach of any tides.

 

Now the mission had truly begun.

 

Summer gesture for Qrow to follower her and the two began to make their way into the nearby forest and toward the more mountainous part of the island, where the mines were most likely located.

 

Ignoring the pitter-patter of rain and the occasional boom of thunder, the forest was dead quiet. No animals, no Grimm, no signs of life period. It was unnatural, unsettling. But most importantly it didn't tell them _anything_.

 

Summer turned to her partner. “Qrow, can you get above the tree line and see if you can find any landmarks? Something we can use to orient ourselves.”

 

He nodded and in an instant, Qrow was gone and bird now soaring high into the dark sky had replaced him. While he scouted the above, Summer resumed her search below, passing over patched of wild grass and dead branches looking for any kind of sign of life.

 

Suddenly her footing was uneven and Summer found herself falling onto the muddy ground beneath her and face to face with a cigar butt? It was buried in the mud and surrounded by a suite of spent bullet casings.

 

Now they were getting somewhere.

 

Summer scrambled to her feet and an inspected the scene further, there had been a fight, there were spent cases and footprints everywhere, though the rain had muddled things and made it hard to discern if there were multiple footprints from different people or not. There were two distinct paths one going right and the other going left and Summer couldn't discern which path was where the person had come from or where they were headed. And she didn't even know which path would be the best to follow.

 

She heard a sudden rustling behind her and immediately turned to face it, _Lancer_ at the ready but was relieved to see it was only Qrow. He gave Summer a knowing smirk before pointing up and to the right. “There’s a cave up there, looks like it cuts all the way through the mountain. I saw what looks a excavator while I was up there, that cave seems like our fastest route.”

 

Summer gave Qrow a playful slap on the back. “Good job, there seems to be signs of a fight here, pretty recently too, who ever was involved might have went that way too.”

 

Followed the boot-prints up a natural trail up towards the cave. The closer the two got to the cave mouth, the more anxious Summer got, she couldn't stop her eyes from darting around at ever shadow she saw.

 

She was beginning to smell something as well and whatever it was, wasn't good at all. When they reached end of the trail at the cave mouth, the smell was far stronger and Summer recognized it immediately. It was the smell of a _corpse_.

 

Summer didn't even gag, she was far too familiar with the smell to gag anymore. She and Qrow shared a look before entering the cave, using their scrolls as flashlights as they navigated the narrow path, the smell getting stronger and stronger before they could see the other side of the tunnel and the lifeless body slumped against the wall.

 

In her time, Summer had seen many dead bodies but never one like this. It was a woman, tan skin and short chestnut brown hair. She was almost entirely naked save for a bra and some underwear. Her skin was bruised and covered long stitched wounds that had yet to heal. Her left arm was heavily wrapped in blood soaked bandages, starting from her shoulder to her wrist, her hand was missing the index and middle finger and looked like someone had taken a hammer to it.

 

Even stranger, however, was her right arm. Some kind of metal bracer had been fused to her shoulder and elbow, and her hand was fully intact but each digit was also in a brace, with the tips of each forming a nozzle like you would see on the end of hose.

 

Next to her hand is a message carved into the ground, which simply read. “ **BREAK THE WORLD GLUE IT BACK NEW** ”

 

“This is Aspen Woods.” Summer says more to herself than to Qrow, realizing the only way she could have left that message was with her semblance.

 

Qrow leans down next her, inspecting her for himself. “What in _Dust’s_ name happened to her?”

 

Summer can’t even formulate a response, she turns away from the body instead looking out towards the exit of the cave and the excavator Qrow had mentioned. It was only a few clicks or so away. It was their best bet and figuring out what the _hell_ was going on here.

 

“We make for the excavator, Qrow. see what we can find. We’ll deal with Aspen when this is all over.”

 

“Right.”

 

Muddy forests soon gave way to to slippery stone hills and rocky outcroppings as Qrow and Summer entered a small rocky valley, there wasn't much in the form of cover and she hated how exposed they felt, she could almost feel them being watched.

 

The valley gave way to more forest as the two got closer and closer to the excavator. And in the distance they could make out a faint light. The closer they got to the light, the more they could hear the banging of metal on metal.

 

When they reached the massive excavator, they saw it was overlooking a large quarry, which was where the noise and light were coming from. The two Hunters crouched besides the gigantic piece of machinery and looked down into the man made pit and saw...

 

 _Grimm..._ strangely _docile_ Grimm in cages, being loaded onto airships. Multiple figures draped in raincoats milling about as if they were doing their everyday jobs. Summer slung _Lancer Rose_ from her shoulder and peered down its scope, they were still too far to see any defined features but one individual still managed to stick out.

They seemed to be patrolling the quarry with a clipboard, occasionally checking things off before ducking into a building that had most likely been the foreman’s office.

 

Summer set her sights on the far side of the quarry, where there was build up of water, it was darkest over there but she swore she could just barely make out what seemed someone leading two Feilongs into cages, _alone_.

 

“ _What?_ ” Was all Qrow was able to manage and Summer had to agree, from behind _Lancer’s_ scope. _Capturing Grimm? That doesn't make any sense! What’s going on!?_

 

Suddenly, Summer felt afraid...very, _very_ afraid, she was breaking into a cold sweat, her breathing was becoming hard to control, her heart was beating _hard_ against her chest. The sound of creaking metal cut through the rainfall like a hot knife and shocked both her and Qrow to their feet.

 

Something was there, on the excavator, _watching_ them. Against all her instincts, Summer looked up towards where the sound had come from and was met with a shape, she just could not make out. It was long and gangly, clinging to the top part of the machine like an insect.

 

Its eyes opened and the two hunters were bathed in a pale white light. And then they ran for their lives, a fear unlike anything either had ever felt coursing through them like a poison. She didn't even know where they were running to but she knew if she stopped it would catch them.

 

Summer had the lead but she could hear Qrow sprinting behind her. The forest was thick with trees and shrubbery that seemed almost like it trying to get in her way and slow her down. Her muscles were starting to burn as she doge and hoped over each branch and bush in her path.

 

This fear within her was beyond anything she had ever felt, the danger this enemy exuded was _unlike_ anything she had ever felt. It’s spindly image was permanently burned into brain, every time she blinked she saw it. _Skittering around inside her brain_.

 

The sound of branches breaking echoed out from behind her, it was gaining on them. _Oh Dust, I don't want to die! There’s still so much I want to see!_ The image of Ruby and Yang flashed into her mind, they were still so young, she wanted to see them grow up, she wanted to see what they wanted to do with their lives, she wanted to see them fall in love and be happy! She wanted to grow old with Tai, she wanted to live to see her grandchildren’s smiling faces!

 

_She didn't want to die, not yet, not here! She was Summer Rose and she was a hero, she couldn't let a monster like this exist for even a second longer!_

 

And like the flip of a switch, Summer’s fear dissolved away and was replaced by her desire live, her desire to be hero that does good by the world.

 

Summer halted her stride, planting her heels firm on the slick ground, sliding for a few moment before coming to a complete halt, Qrow blasted past her before coming to his own stop, nearly face planting in the process. “ _Summer!?_ What the hell are you doing!? It’s gonna catch up!”

 

He seemed confused and even more scared than she had been. _Regardless_ , Summer smiled brightly. “You go on ahead, I’ve got this.”

 

Qrow jaw snapped open and shut for moment in pure shock and utter bafflement. “Are you insane, _Summer!?_ We have to _run!_ ”

 

Again she smiled and even laughed a little bit. “Don’t worry, I've got _these_ remember?” She gestured to eyes and winked before slinging _Lancer Rose_ from her shoulder and readying herself for combat. “Now go, Qrow. Get to boat, I'll meet you there”

 

Summer’s voice carried a serious edge to it, a tone that Qrow knew she didn't use very often. He could the monster getting closer and closer, as it jumped from the tree tops. Part of his brain said he should stay and fight but a much _louder_ part screamed for him to run as fast as he could.

 

Tears fell from his face as he sprinted further into the woods, still not even sure of where he was going but not stopping all the same. Even when his legs felt like they would collapse, he did not stop running, when the forest lit up with a blinding _silver_ light, he did not stop. Only when he reached the beach where they left their boat did Qrow stop running.

 

He collapsed into the moist sand, it was morning now and the rain had finally stopped, for a long time he laid in the sand unmoving and weeping. What had happened? Why did he run away? Why was he so afraid? What was he supposed to do now?

 

When he finally stood back up, he was met with a sight that nearly made him collapse again. _Lancer Rose_ , now a scorched and warped piece of metal, was planted deep into the sands in front of the boat, Summer’s torn cloak, stained with blood and ash was tied around it, blowing in the wind like a flag.

 

 _Why did I just run? Why was I so scared?_ The questions rang through Qrow’s mind like the clang of a bell, over and over as he pulled _Lancer_ out of the sand and got onto the boat.

 

________________________

 

**_Finally You guys decide to call, me and the girls have been worried sick! Please tell everything's good. When are you coming back?_ **

 

**_…_ **

 

**_Qrow? Summer? Hello?_ **

 

**_She's gone, Tai._ **

 

**_What?_ **

 

**_She's not coming, Tai._ **

 

**_What the hell are you talking about Qrow? Did something happen?_ **

 

**_She’s not coming._ **

 

**_W-what happened? What the fuck happened!?_ **

 

 **_I-I just...kept running_ ** _._

 

________________________

 

FROM: Gen. J. Ironwood

SUBJECT: Final Site SI Report.

 

_Professor Ozpin._

 

_As I stated in my last 7 correspondences, my scouting parties were unsuccessful in recovering anything of value from the site, the cigar butt and bullet casings were a dead end, no DNA was salvageable from the cigar and no serial numbers could be found on the casings._

 

_My men have spent the last month combing over the whole island with a fine tooth comb, though we found the cave mentioned in Qrow’s report we still have not recovered the remains of Aspen Woods and Summer Rose._

 

_I do not know what to tell you, Summer was a good woman but there is no use keeping up this investigation any further. Jacques caught word of the Dust supply on the island and now I have him breathing down my neck. So if I don't pull out now, I'll be roped into supervising his mining teams and if I have to put my men through that torture, I'll never let you hear the end of it._

 

_We’re leaving tomorrow and I'll be coming to Vale to speak with Taiyang personally about not finding his wife's remains. After that we can speak more in person if you like._

 

_Let’s just face it Oz, Salem’s got her hand on some high class mercs, don't put too much thought into it._

 

_Regards,_

 

_James Ironwood._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so on to the story! 
> 
> leave a comment if you want! tell me if I suck, or whatever.


	2. World of Remnant: After The War & The Trackers.

**World of Remnant: After The War & The Trackers.**

 

Man...I gotta do  _ more  _ of these? Ok. fine, whatever let’s get this over with.

 

Welcome to the _ World of Remnant _ , yadda  _ yadda. _

 

I think we all know the drill by this point. So let’s begin shall we?

 

Remnant... _ Remnant _ has changed a lot over these last couple of years and some would say not for the better but we’ll be getting to that.

 

After thousands of years...  _ Salem _ , the greatest threat that Human and Faunus kind have ever known was defeated and _ for good, too. _ With the help of a certain merry little band of snot nosed brats and tired old men.

 

The relics she had been pursuing were sealed away, never to be seen again. And the powers of the Maiden’s drifted onto new owners. Everything was tied up rather nicely.

 

Teams RWBY, SSSN and JNPR were heralded as heroes across all of Remnant and for good reason. The celebrations lasted weeks...there was some  _ damn  _ good booze.

 

But eventually we had to snap back to reality. Let’s not kid ourselves here, the war with Salem left all the Kingdoms in shambles...so much had to be sacrificed in order to come out on top. People were upset and they needed to direct their anger onto someone since Salem was dead and buried and so the public’s anger fell onto her lackeys.

 

Salem had amassed quite the large following of Human’s and Faunus for someone who wanted us all dead.

 

Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black, Arthur Watts, and Adam Taurus were just a few of people she had ensnared in web of darkness, some by their own choice and other by some misguided form obligation.

 

Regardless of why they fought for her, the people wanted justice, they wanted regulation, all these people had aura and semblances which they used to do evil...there needed to be some kind of safeguard from this kind of thing happening again.

 

That’s when _ Floyd Littlehorn _ stepped in. a retired veteran Huntsman, he was the combat instructor at Shade Academy for as long as anybody could remember, he held a lot of sway in the Vacuan Council out of sheer seniority. He was the one who pitched the idea of the Tracker's Association.

 

An organization without border that would insure that no criminal or rouge Huntsmen would ever abuse their aura and semblance to hurt the innocent. People flocked to his cause like moths to a flame and within months every Kingdom’s Council had decided to approve the TA’s creation.

 

Littlehorn’s first move as Chairman of the TA was to put all of those who assisted Salem on trial. They lasted for months and in the end e veryone was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment...or worse, regardless of their reasons for fighting for her, "excuses" I remember the Prosecutor saying.

 

The TA seemed to be the swift hammer of justice the public had hoped they'd be and even more scrambled to join in fight against corruption, it was mostly Huntsmen who fought in the war that wanted to become Trackers...even some people I know. The idea of securing a safe future can be very intoxicating, after all.  

  
It’s been five years now and to the average person going about their life everything seems perfect and peaceful but I can feel it, just below the surface...something  _ terrible  _ beyond measure. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I plan on having a few more of these interludes in the story, might not always be WoRs maybe flash backs as well, I guess we'll see.
> 
> Thanks for Reading, constructive criticism always appreciated!


	3. Ordinary World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Busy night, huh?
> 
> So here we have the first actual chapter and hoo-boy it only gets longer from here.
> 
> Happy reading folks.
> 
> also it should probably go without saying that I don't own RWBY and all that Jazz.

**Chapter 1: Ordinary World**

* * *

  


“Man that was _waaaaaay_ too easy, is swear Grimm these day are a bunch of wimps!” Ruby Rose whined and she trudged behind her partner and girlfriend, Weiss Schnee, the two just finishing yet another painfully easy contract in the outskirts of New Vale.

 

“Well have you perhaps considered that instead of the Grimm getting weaker, you have just gotten stronger, Ruby?” Weiss said in her normally reserved tone which caused a cute blush to spread across her partner’s cheeks.   

 

“Aw shucks, Weissy I don't know what to say.” it had been five years since Ruby and Weiss had started dating and five years since team RWBY had saved the world from Salem, Cinder and all their goons and despite all that Ruby had seen as well as been through she still couldn't help but get butterflies whenever Weiss complemented her.

“You don't need to say anything dolt, it's the truth. But I will agree that the contracts as of late have been a bit on the dull side. Perhaps we should look for work elsewhere after we get back to basecamp?” Weiss said as the continued down the trail.

 

Ruby’s eyes lit up at the suggestion and she bounced on her heels like a hyperactive toddler. “ _ooooh_ that's a great idea! We could go hunt Sandworms in Vacuo, or maybe go searching for Dragons in the Atlesian mountains or, maybe-” Ruby's rambling was cut off by a pair incredibly soft lips melding to her own, a kiss was Weiss’s favorite way to get Ruby to stop hers ramblings(and it was Ruby's too, funnily enough) but before she could really enjoy the kiss Weiss pulled away and cupped Ruby's cheek “We can talk about it after we get to basecamp, alright?”

 

Ruby could only nod.

 

* * *

 

The remainder of the trek to the Huntsman Basecamp was filled with a comfortable silence, as the two Huntresses held each other's hand, enjoying eachothers company and the nice spring weather. Ruby would have continued to enjoy the feeling if she hadn't noticed two figures she'd never seen before leaning up against the main building of the small basecamp. _Are they new Huntsmen?_ Ruby thought to herself as they got closer to the figures, they seemed to be waiting for someone.

 

The Huntress took note of their appearances. The man the left was tall with a solid frame, his hair was a sandy brown color and well kept, his facial features were soft and unintimidating, his eyes were strangely squinted giving him a jovial(or perhaps mischievous) demeanor, Ruby thought he looked like substitute teacher. His friend on the right was slouching, he had sharp features with an angry looking frown and dark rings under his deep pink eyes, making him seem way older than he probably was, his long bleach blonde hair and scraggly looking beard made him look like a hobo, the grey fedora he was wearing didn't help any. They were both wearing grey waterproof overcoats helping cement their overall shadiness.    

 

Ruby was brought out of her assessment of the two men when the friendlier looking one spoke up.  “Why excuse me? You two wouldn't happen to be Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee, would you?”

 

Weiss let go of Ruby's hand and spoke before she could “yes we are, who might you two be?” She said with the classic Schnee style authority, puffing out her chest and crossing her arms, trying to look as intimidating as possible.

 

The friendly one’s expression didn't change but his tired looking friend smirked and they shared a glance, he then reached into his pocket, digging out a badge and identification card “Well my name is Special Agent Jonquil Tracassin but please just call me Jonquil and this is my partner of sorts Special Agent Cerise Freischutz, we're both from the Tracker's Association and we were hoping you could lend us a hand.”

 

Weiss remained in control of the situation. “what do you need our help for exactly Agent Tracassin?”

 

Jonquil warm smile stayed plastered on his face, but somehow his demeanor was much less friendly. Weiss’s intimidation tactics had no effect on him. “we are looking for _Qrow Branwen_ ” he turned his head to Ruby almost immediately.

 

The Brunette immediately let out a gasp at The Tracker’s revelation. “Why do you need my uncle!?”

 

Agent Freischutz then chimed in, his arrogant sounding voice dripping with insenriety in stark contrast to his partner. “Mr. Branwen missed an important meeting concerning his...Huntsman licence, we just need to...bring him in for some questions”

 

The blatant lie flew right over Ruby’s head as she wracked her brain trying to think of where her uncle was, it had been a while since she last seen him. “Yeah, sorry I haven’t really seen him for the past couple of months, I have no clue where he could be.”

 

Weiss, who saw through Agent Freischutz’s lie and was eager to get away from these two suspicious men, chimed in. “well it appears that settles _that_ , we have no information for you two, now please leave us alone. We've had a long day.”

 

The two men looked at each other for a moment, Jonquil nodded at Agent Freischutz and began walking away reaching into his pocket for a scroll that he began to call someone on. Jonquil turned to the two women and gave them a slightly larger smile. “well I thank you for your time ladies, on behalf of the Tracker's Association I apologize for any inconveniences, have a lovely day.”

 

He went to follow after his partner but instead turned back around and pulled a card out from his pocket and started to hand it to Ruby, Weiss, however stepped in front him and grabbed the card, his smile widened “my contact information, just in case. Perhaps we’ll see eachother again.”

 

Weiss kept her face neutral, staring directly into Jonquil’s squinting eyes, even from this close she couldn't tell what color his irises were. “and perhaps _not_...have good day Agent Tracassin.” her voice was curt.

 

Jonquil bowed his head and turned to follow after Agent Freischutz, hands held behind his back. He started whistling a tune, one that Weiss vaguely recognized but couldn't exactly place.

 

Ruby let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as the tension in the air brought on by the two Trackers started to dissipate. “ _jeez_ Weiss that was kinda rude. Don't you think?”

 

The former heiress sighed. After all this time her partner still didn't have a cruel bone in her body. She placed her a hand on the bridge of her nose. “those two were lying about why they want your uncle.”

 

Ruby's face went blank for a moment, contemplating this information before she chuckled lightly and shrugged. “well you know how secretive Qrow can be, maybe they want him for some _top secret mission!_ gah he's so cool!” Ruby struck a mock action pose which Weiss couldn't help but smile at.

 

Ruby wrapped one of her arms round Weiss’s waist. “you worry too much Princess, we beat all the bad guys remember? Emerald and all them are behind bars and...well you know what happened to Salem, these guys are Tracker's they're _basically_ cops.”

 

Weiss thought to herself for a moment, a familiar feeling of anxiety started to bubble in her chest but she decided to ignore it for the moment. “perhaps you're right Ruby, maybe I'm just paranoid.”

 

Ruby pulled her girlfriend closer nuzzling herself into the crook of her neck. “Nah Weiss you're not paranoid, just _really_ cautious. Here let me see that Tracassin guy's card, maybe it’s got a dumb looking photo of him we can laugh at.” the redhead said with a light hearted giggle.

 

Weiss had to suppress her own giggles at the idea as she flipped over the card so they could read over the information.  

 

_Special Agent First Class Jonquil Doré Tracassin Esq._

 

_Tracker’s Association Intelligence/Counterintelligence Department Head_

 

_Badge number: 002_

 

_Contact Number: --------------_

 

The former heiress wrinkled her nose in annoyance. “ _hmph_ , how _pointless_! there's no contact number, there's no way for us to actually reach him with this, what a buffoon!” Weiss exclaimed sounding very irritated. “just throw it out Ruby it's useless”

 

Ruby shoved the card in pocket telling her mind to remember to toss it out when they got home. “roger, Princess!” She said throwing up her hand in a fake salute, Weiss gave her partner a tired smile at the gesture, despite the easy contract she found herself quite exhausted _maybe it was dealing with those two idiot Agents_ she thought to herself before turning to her dolt.

 

“Alright, let's get our reward for today's work and then catch the airship back home, I'm frankly exhausted.”

* * *

 

Agent Jonquil Tracassin had the same friendly smile on his face as he spoke into his scroll “why yes, they have my card, shouldn't be too long till we can monitor them 24/7. If they don't throw it out that is.”

  
He paused for a moment, taking a steadying breath. “You know old friend...I find myself more and more excited as the plan moves forward, my hands are almost _shaking_ , the Rose girl...she has _silver eyes!_ Just like in the report! She's the absolute _perfect_ specimen!”


	4. The Crushing Presence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are with the second chapter, very exciting i'm sure.
> 
> i don't own RWBY or anything else besides my ideas. 
> 
> happy reading folks.

**Chapter 2: The Crushing Presence**

 

Weiss found herself deep in thought as she rode on the airship heading back to New Vale, Ruby already dozing off, her heading resting on her shoulder although she was too distracted to even notice _The Tracker’s Association huh? What could they possibly need with Ruby’s uncle? Is it really for some top secret mission? I thought Qrow only answered to Oscar now._ Weiss racked her brain thinking back to when the Association was established

 

* * *

   

_It was in the aftermath of Salem’s defeat, the aftermath of the war, there were lots of skilled aura users and even legitimate Huntsmen and Huntresses under her thumb, needless to say the populace found something new to be scared of...the uncontrollable power of aura. Not to mention the Kingdoms were in complete disarray, the maidens had been lost in the fighting and no one could find their successors and the relics were lost as well. In this time of uneasiness with idea for The Tracker’s Association emerged, a sort of global police force that would make sure nobody could abuse their aura. It was a good idea at the time and it managed to calm the populace. Now if you wanted to be a registered Hunter you had to pass psych evaluation, anybody who refused to comply was charged with treason against the Kingdoms and were incarcerated and in extreme cases even killed, although now if The Association wanted to kill someone they would need the approval from every Kingdom’s council._

 

* * *

 

Then all of a sudden, something seemed to click with Weiss, _Qrow still works for Oscar, who has remained a shady and mysterious character. Ozpin himself was posthumously tried for war crimes after everything was said and done and Qrow managed to get of with little punishment for his involvement with him, since he was so integral to Salem’s defeat. Nobody but a select few knew that Ozpin had not died but instead became Oscar Pine...so maybe The Association finally figured that out and now we're looking for Qrow and Oscar to retry them! Agent Tracassin's card even said he was an Esquire meaning he was a lawyer of some kind!_

 

“That’s it!” Weiss exclaimed loudly, waking Ruby from her light sleep. She turned to her now awake partner slightly shaking her to get her attention. “Ruby! I think I've figured out why those two Agents want your uncle!”

 

The tired Huntress rubbed her eyes and tried _and failed_ to suppress a yawn, her voice thick with the last vestiges sleep. “you're _still_ thinking about that?”

 

Weiss scoffed, what a silly question. “of course I am, dolt! They were _very_ suspicious, but now I think I know why”

 

Ruby let out low sigh, it was obvious she was tired of this topic. “Ok then Weiss, why do they want my uncle?”

 

Weiss cleared her throat. Her anxiety from earlier returning. “well I think The Tracker’s Association must have found something on your uncle and Oscar and now they want to retry him for working with Ozpin.”

 

Ruby eyes widened for a moment and she fell silent in thought, thinking that maybe her partner was onto something. “So what are you trying to say Weiss?”

 

The former heiress spoke clearly and concisely not wanting to come off as nervous to her partner. “I'm saying your uncle might be a possible fugitive! Same with Oscar and maybe even us! We worked pretty close with him too after all. This could be _bad._ ”

 

Ruby felt her heart rate start to pick up, internally she was beginning to panic. _What if Weiss is right? But that makes no sense! Team RWBY were heroes! And so were Oscar and Qrow! Why would the Trackers make them fugitives!?_

 

She tried to swallow the lump that was forming in her throat and began looking around the airship worriedly, the walls seemed to be closing in on her. “uhm...Weiss I've got a _really_ bad feeling all of a sudden.”

 

Ruby's brain was overcome with memories from after Salem's defeat, after the fighting was over...all the trials of which she had been a witness. The shouting of questions one after the other about Cinder, about the Maidens, about Ozpin, about all the innocent people, about _Pyrrha_ and _Penny!_ She couldn't concentrate! it was like a vice grip crushing her soul! The air felt stagnant and it was getting very hard to breathe, she needed off this airship before she had a heart attack!

 

The former heiress quickly realized that Ruby was having a panic attack, it had been almost a year since her last but Weiss still remembered what to do, she looked around her seat in airship and located one of the sickness bags, she needed to stop Ruby's hyperventilating.

 

“Here Ruby sweetie. Breath into this ok? In and out just like we practiced, alright baby?” Weiss tried her best to sound reassuring. “Is it ok if I touch you Ruby?” Weiss saw her girlfriend give a small nod as she breathed into the bag and she gingerly placed her hand on Ruby's shivering back and began rubbing it circles. Ruby let out a tiny whimper, she was crying which was a sight Weiss had seen far too often over these past five years.

 

“Shhhh, hey sweetie, please don't cry, everything's gonna be alright. I've got you Ruby.” Weiss silently admonished herself, she felt awful, she knew that her wild theorycrafting had set her girlfriend off, there were still some fresh wounds when it came to the war and the idea of being put back on trial probably brought back all the wrong kinds of memories. They had all been through so much and although Ruby had managed to keep her cheery demeanor through all of it, no one was without their damages.   

 

* * *

 

 

By the time Ruby had completely calmed down, the couple had reached New Vale. Weiss had held her the entire time trying her hardest to soothe her partner. As they disembarked from the airship Ruby spoke for first time since her panic attack. “I'm really sorry, Weiss, sorry I made a scene” Her voice was terribly shaky and it made Weiss’s feel like crying herself.

 

The former heiress wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's waist, pulling her in close. “Ruby Rose don't you dare apologize! I am the one who is sorry, all my talk about those Trackers is what started your attack, right?”

 

Ruby nodded her head solemnly and it made Weiss feel somehow even worse than before. “but I’m not mad at you or anything, I think we just need to sleep on this whole thing. Before we start jumping to conclusions.”

 

The former heiress couldn't agree more, she was in desperate need of some snuggles and bed rest. “Ok Ruby, let's go home.”

 

* * *

 

Weiss wanted to _rip_ her hair out in fistfulls, as she glared at the door of their apartment door which had been brutally kicked open, almost kicked off it's damn hinges, wood chips were scattered all across the hallway it was a total mess. She began pulling Myrtenaster from its sheath, today apparently was just _not_ her day. “whoever this intruder is gets three seconds to explain themselves before I skewer them”

 

Ruby was a little more hesitant as she readied Crescent Rose. Speaking In a harsh whisper she looked all around the hallway to make sure no one was sneaking up on them. “What if it’s those agents?! We can't attack them...I’m pretty sure that’s illegal!?”

 

Weiss totally ignored her partner as she recklessly charged into the apartment Myrtenaster and glyphs at the ready, she didn't care if they were Trackers or common criminals, they were gonna get it. However the ice queen only ascended to a new form of shocked fury when she found not Trackers or Criminals but instead Ruby’s uncle passed out on their couch next to several bottles of wine, _Weiss’s favorite brand of wine._

 

When Ruby shot into the apartment with her scythe at the ready and saw her uncle she let a squeal of happiness almost immediately tackling the sleeping man off the couch giving him a bearhug that would put one of Yang’s to shame “Uncle _Qroooooooooooooow!_ I missed _yooooooou!_ ”

 

Qrow let out a very manly sounding screech as he was aggressively woken up, his light crimson eyes exploding open in sheer surprise. “ _gah!_ pipsqueak you're crushing me to death here!” she quickly let go, stammering out a quiet apology.

 

Qrow got up off the floor and dusted himself off, he looked vaguely annoyed. “jeez...what took you guys so long to get her I’ve been here for hours, we've got some very important stuff to talk about and we don't have a lot of time to talk about it.”

 

Weiss immediately chimed in, her anxiety from earlier rearing its ugly head again. “this wouldn't have anything to do with the Tracker’s Association would it? We happened to talk to some earlier today and they said they were looking for you.”

 

Qrow’s face blanched as he ran his hands through his graying hair, his annoyed expression only intensifying. “damn...looks like we have even less time than I thought. Listen, we really need to get out of the Kingdom.”

 

Weiss grit her teeth, was beyond frustrated. She needed answers of some kind. “hold on now, you can't expect us to just pack up our things and leave the _damn_ Kingdom without an explanation!” she nearly screeched at Qrow, although he didn't seem to care.

 

Qrow was checking the windows of the apartment completely ignoring the former heiress much to her chagrin. “hey pipsqueak, those agents, did they happen to give you anything, like a card?”

 

Ruby nodded and stuck out her tongue as she reached into her pocket, hastily pulling out the card Jonquil had given them. “Yeah, this really friendly looking guy, Tra-something gave us his card, I was gonna throw it out.”

 

Ruby's uncle quickly took the card and gave it a once over before snapping it in half, he had a deadly serious look on his face.“Ok _listen_ you two, this is very serious. We are leaving, I promise to explain once we're safe but we really have to _go_.”

 

Weiss, who was very dissatisfied with the amount of information being divulged was about to demand answers again but then she saw her partner's concerned expression, the brunette looked intensely worried, so she decided to swallow her pride for now. “very well...where are we headed?”

 

Qrow grabbed his weapon which had been laying haphazardly on the floor and began heading to what remained of the door with his niece in tow. Muttering in low tone. “ _Patch_.”

 

 

 


	5. Predators

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> new chapter for the like two people that care. I kid can't expect to go viral on your first try or whatever.
> 
> now we get to see what the bees are up to, so that's fun.
> 
> I'm not sure if I've made these first few chapters too short or not but they get longer from here. I think.
> 
> I don't own RWBY, all I own is my Ideas.

**Chapter 3: Predators**

 

Patch. _Patch was...really boring!_ Yang Xiao Long thought to herself absentmindedly as she and her Girlfriend Blake Belladonna made their way to the Huntsman Basecamp on Patch, the mood was somber one as the Huntresses had been unable to find work for almost a week now. A fact which was really strange to Yang. So that's why she and her partner were up at the asscrack of dawn, hoping to get first dibs on contracts before they were all gobbled up.

 

She let out a tired sigh and ran her hand through her unruly mane. “I swear. I don't know what's up Blakey, Patch has _always_ had a problem with Grimm. I have no clue why there are no contracts.”

 

Blake let out a small chuckle and placed her hand on the small of her partner’s back reassuringly. “it's ok, I mean it's been fun just hanging out with your dad all week, it's probably just bad luck on our end.”

 

The fiery blonde gave Blake a warm smile before setting her sights on the horizon, she could see the back of the Basecamp coming into view and grinned, it looked like they were the first ones there, she couldn't see any vehicles or disgruntled looking Hunters hanging about. She clapped her hands together. “well let's hope our luck is starting to turn a new leaf, Blakey.”

 

Yang shot her partner a confident wink paired with a toothy smirk as the two got closer to the front of the building, things were still looking good but her smirk soon dissipated as she she saw the two figures who appeared to be guarding the front door.

 

They looked like two younger guys, one was sitting on a chair and the other was leaning against the wall. The sitting guy had short slicked back hair that was jet black just like Blake's and his eyes were an almost metallic looking deep blue-green, he had a baby face with no blemishes except for just about the _cutest_ looking beauty mark Yang had ever seen on right side of his face, which made the angry frown that plastered his face look anything _but_ intimidating. he wore a vaguely military looking black jacket that was unzipped exposing a wrinkled black dress shirt

 

All and all he looked like a major _asshole_ trying desperately to look _hard_ or tough and the cigar he was obnoxiously smoking didn't help his case either.

 

His friend leaning against the wall was wearing a white overcoat with a high collar that covered his face all the way up to his nose leaving only his muddy brown eyes, which were mostly obscured by his messy brown, hair visible. Yang could just tell he was scowling at them, he was also holding a really heavy duty looking briefcase. Now _he_ looked intimidating.

 

Yang thought the two were very suspicious and even more so when Babyface blew smoke towards her and Blake, he must have been a long time smoker because his voice was harsh and caustic. “Sorry girls, Basecamp’s closed until further notice, might as well go home.” he motioned with his free hand for the two to go back from where they came from.

 

The blonde put a robotic hand on her hip keeping a cool demeanor, she wondered if these guys were involved with the lack of contracts, so she decided to press them further. “and why's that, boys?”

 

Babyface took another drag of his cigar and blew smoke at the couple once again. “ _Classified_ , if I told you _Blondie_ I'd have to kill you and your pretty friend too.”

 

Blake who had stayed out of the conversation suddenly broke her silence. “says who? What authority do you have to shut this place off to registered Hunters?” The faunas was genuinely curious as to who these two were.

 

Babyface took a final drag from his cigar before tossing it to the ground and stomping it out as he stood up from his chair, exhaling smoke all the while. He reached into his jacket and his friend did the same. “Says us, Special Agents Noire Kühlen and Marron-Gray Comorbid, with the authority of _Tracker's Association._ ”

 

Blake was surprised by this sudden revelation. _Why would the Trackers be here of all places? Has someone gone rogue?_ Memories from what seemed like ages ago flooded back to her. “I worked as an agent for a year. I'm still on the register if I recall. Can my partner and I be of any assistance?”

 

The former Tracker reached into her duster pocket and retrieved her old badge, _I always knew it would come in handy._ “Here's my badge I'm Blake Belladonna and my partner here is Yang Xiao Long.”

 

Babyface or as he was now identified as Noire Kühlen took the badge from her and looked it over quickly before handing it back, along the way one of his fingers brushed against her hand “well Agent Belladonna although we appreciate the offer we have to decline, this...operation is several levels above your clearance. Maybe you should consider heading back to Vacuo and reapply as full-time Tracker, big things are coming and we need good agents and lots of ‘em.”

 

Blake put her badge back in her pocket, a little disappointed and a little relieved. Although some days she definitely missed being a Tracker, she _had_ resigned for a reason and these two seemed like the types you definitely didn't want to get involved with something just wasn't right about them, the air around them felt very _wrong_ , almost _dangerous_ like an explosion was about to go off. _Jeez, when had the atmosphere gotten so tense?_

Not to mention Agent Comorbid specifically, he had been silent as the grave this whole time, keeping an intense stare trained solely on Yang and tight grip on his briefcase. Appearing ready to strike at any moment like a coiled King Taijitu.

 

 _We should probably get out of here._ Blake thought to herself, _curiosity killed the cat after all...Did I really just think that? God she has been such a bad influence on me._

 

Blake gave a slight nod to Agent Kühlen, trying to keep her voice sounding friendly. “Well I definitely will think about it Agent Kühlen, sorry for bothering you, we'll be going now” Yang looked like she had a sarcastic remark primed and ready to fire but Blake dragged her away from the agents before she could say it.

 

“Not a problem, you two ladies have a good day now.” Blake could barely make out Agent Kühlen saying as she walked away with her girlfriend in tow, it sounded very disingenuous.

 

Yang crossed her arms and let out a huff as the two made their trek back to Taiyang’s place. “ _Man_ , no wonder you quit the Tracker's they're all a bunch of pricks, “ _classified operation that is several levels above your clearance_ ” my ass! I bet those guys are the ones taking all the contracts!” the blonde was obviously a bit peeved at the whole situation as she continued on.

 

“And what was with Babyface’s creepy friend!? He just stared at me the whole time, like he was trying to turn me to stone or _something,_ it made my skin crawl! I was _this_ close to punching his lights out!” she made gesture with her fingers to indicate she was very close to punching Agent Comorbid.

 

Blake's ears were flat on her head, her partner’s temper was still something she had to work on. She placed her hand on her back once again in an attempt to placate her. “Yang, Honey please calm down, you're shouting. Let's just forget about this ok? He was probably making sure you didn't try anything stupid. It’s part of standard training.”

 

Yang chuckled heartily at that, waving her hand dismissively. “ _psssh_ I could beat him in two seconds, the both of them would stand _no_ chance against me, they looked like a couple of rookies!”

 

It was Blake's turn to chuckle although it was a nervous one, her mind going back to the strange aura of malice that seemed to enshroud Agent Kühlen. “I'm not so sure Yang, those two were definitely dangerous, Agent Kühlen especially, his aura was extremely unsettling, couldn't you feel it?”

 

The blonde’s face scrunched into a frown, as if remembering something sad. “Now that you mention it Blakey, I couldn't feel any aura at all, not yours, hell I...couldn't even feel my own.”

 

At this revelation Blake was suddenly overcome by an awful sinking feeling, her ears flattening on against the top of her head. _how close did we just come from a disaster!? our guard was down and they took complete advantage of that!_ She grabbed her partner by the arm and sped up their walking pace. “Let's just get back to your dad’s house ok? I think I need to lie down”

 

* * *

 

 

The door to the Huntsman Basecamp opened and sharp dressed man stepped out, an old wooden cane in one hand and with his other he rubbed the gray stubble that covered the dark skin of his face. He had seen the two huntresses and their interaction with his agents but they had not seen him.

 

He turned to Noire and pointed with his cane toward the direction they had walked away.  “Those two girls, who were they?”

 

With the cigar still in his mouth Noire spoke “Sir, the blonde was one Yang Xiao Long and the faunus was a Blake Belladonna, she used to be one of our own apparently?”

 

The man continued to rub his stubble, this was good news. “hmmm Xiao Long and Belladonna, eh? Find them, subdue them, and then bring them to headquarters, they're related to the Branwen-Oz Case. Boss is getting impatient.”

 

Noire nodded his head in acknowledgement, pretending to seem uninterested in his assignment.  

 

Marron who had remained quiet until then spoke in his usual reserved tone, his grip tensing around the handle of his briefcase. “what do you need me to do, Mr. Keppel, Sir?”

 

Mr. Keppel began walking deeper into the dark forest outfront of the Huntsman Basecamp, gesturing for him to follow. “you are coming with me, Marron. We are to meet up with Bosch and capture the remaining Grimm here on Patch.”

 

Marron nodded and began following after his superior, Mr. Keppel said one last thing before disappearing into the shadows of the forest. “Noire, bring back the girls alive and don’t kill anyone, discretion is paramount.”

 

Noire stamped out his cigar and cracked his knuckles, a confident smirk stretching across his face.  

 

 

 


	6. Babyface

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wahey! a new chapter! I hope y'all enjoy it or whatever
> 
> I don't own RWBY, I known nothing, only my mind.

**Chapter 4: Babyface**

 

Taiyang Xiao Long let a exasperated groan as he continued to chop wood, was he really getting too old for this? He had decided not to burden either of his guests with this time consuming and quite frankly annoying chore on account of how hard the girls had trained today.

 

His daughter and her girlfriend had set out early this morning in hopes of getting some kind of work, but they had returned empty handed and obviously shaken up by something, they talked quietly amongst themselves for a bit and then went out front to train for the rest of the day.

 

It had just became dark when they finally came inside and collapsed wordlessly onto the couch. Tai had simply draped them in a blanket and then stepped outside to chop the wood, he would let them get their rest. 

 

Right as the retired Huntsman was about to bring down his axe on another log, he noticed a figure walking down the path towards the house, although it was too dark to really make out who it was.

 

Tai shouted at the figure. “You lost, buddy!?” And began walking towards them, it wasn't that uncommon for the occasional stranger to pass by his cabin in search of directions, Patch was deceptively difficult to navigate.

 

The figure shouted back. “No! I'm looking for Taiyang!” 

 

Tai had closed the distance and was now face to face with the stranger and the first thing he noticed was how young he was “well you found me, kid. What can I do ya for?” he stuck out his hand for handshake, which the stranger returned with a surprisingly strong grip.

 

“My name is Noire Kühlen, I'm with the Tracker's Association, I'm actually looking for Blake Belladonna.” Noire’s metallic turquoise eyes bored into Taiyang’s softer blue ones. He was suddenly overcome by a really bad feeling, almost as if a gun was pointed right at his forehead or held a knife to his throat, and ever present  _ danger _ .

 

The former Huntsman recoiled quickly from the handshake and immediately put himself on guard, he didn't trust this Noire guy and the strange flood of tension that seemed to permeate from him. “Why do you need Blake?” a simple but very important question.  _ Just what are you after, kid? _

 

Noire ran a hand through his hair, and a smile etched itself on his face. “Ms. Belladonna was an agent of the association sometime ago, she retired only after a few years of service and went back to hunting, I could use her assistant on case I'm working, us Tracker's always like to rely on former agents before outside Hunters or local law enforcement.”

 

Taiyang crossed his arms, he didn't buy this Noire’s story and the bad feeling in the air was only seemed to be growing worse. “I don't think she's here anymore, pal, she left in hurry this afternoon, sorry.” the blonde said the first lie that popped into his head, this guy was bad news, Tracker on not and he was going to keep him away from Blake, she was like a daughter to him.

 

Noire sighed and shrugged nonchalantly, seeming vaguely nonplussed at Tai’s lie. “Listen I don't have the patience for this, I don't to have to hurt you, because, you know, collateral is really unnecessary, I just want Blake and...your daughter too, but that's besides the point. I'm giving you  _ one  _ last chance.” 

 

This punk wanted his daughter too!? Taiyang was getting angry now,  _ just who the hell does this Noire guy think he is!? _

 

The retired Huntsmen's saw red as he flared up his aura and activated his semblance, he wasn't gonna go easy on this guy, whoever he was. He was gonna protect his family!

 

Taiyang threw a hard right hook and unleashed his semblance as soon as felt the strike make contact, the result was Noire getting a face full of explosion and getting sent flying a few feet backward, smoke trailing behind him.

 

Although the attack seemed uneffective as Noire was on his feet almost instantly, unscathed by the blast, his aura absorbing most of the damage.  _ he must have been expecting the strike, but then why did he just take the hit? What do you have up your sleeve?  _ Taiyang was wary now and took up a defensive stance deciding to let Noire make the next move.

 

The Tracker dusted himself off and began laughing almost hysterically “you can convert aura into explosions,  _ right?  _ Such a powerful semblance! you must be a real pro! But your mistake was not using it to  _ kill  _ me because now-” he cut himself off and broke into a dead sprint, quickly closing the distance between Taiyang and him.

 

Noire lunged at the retired Huntsman and feinted a jab with his right hand and used his left to grab the collar of Tai’s shirt, and then pulled him in close. “-I've already  _ beaten _ you!”

 

***BOOM***

 

The explosion was huge and loud. Loud enough to wake half of Patch and huge enough to catch some of the surrounding trees on fire, flames quickly spreading to more. 

 

As Taiyang soared through the air, aura completely depleted, he vaguely recalled how Noire's eyes had seemingly changed color, he remembered that they were a blue-green that almost shimmered like a polished metal but right before the blast Taiyang could have swore they were a deep blue, just like his own.

 

* * *

 

 

Yang was still wiping the sleep from her eyes when the second blast shook the whole house even knocking picture frames from walls. The first explosion had woke her and her girlfriend up and had obviously been the work of her father's semblance, like a grenade going off, her first thoughts were stray Grimm but that second blast worried her, it was very unlike her father. She knew he never went overboard like that, something was up.

 

She was out the door with Blake only a few steps behind, just in time to watch her father land at her feet.

 

He was unconscious, his aura was completely shot and he was covered in burns. Yang was immediately at his side looking him over checking for any serious damages and was relieved to not find any at the present moment, she looked into the pillar smoke that stood before her. “what the hell did this!?” now that she was sure he father was alright she stopped feeling worried and started feeling  _ angry _ .

 

Blake scanned the currently burning treeline and saw a shape quickly approaching.  _ It's Agent Kühlen!? What is he doing here!? _ She tapped her partner’s shoulder, getting her attention. “Yang, it's that Tracker from earlier today!”

 

Said Tracker stopped his charge and instead began walking, he was covered in soot and ash, a vicious smirk on his face. “Blake Belladonna, Yang and Taiyang Xiao Long! I'm placing all three if you under arrest, for your involvement with the Terrorist Qrow Branwen! Surrender your weapons and come peacefully  _ or  _ you'll end up like him!” He pointed a Taiyang's unconscious body.

 

Before Blake could even react, Yang was on her feet charging full throttle at Noire, her eyes red with fury, she screamed before leaping at the Tracker. “YOU’RE FUCKING  _ DEAD _ , ASSHOLE!” 

 

Noire was fast to put his guard up but it was scarcely helpful against the barrage of  savage strikes Yang sent his way, he had no time to strike back in between dodges and blocks but even the fact he was still on his feet at all was impressive.

 

But it was also a fact Blake was determined to changed as jumped into the fray, using her ribbon and Gambol Shroud to tie up Noire's legs and pull him to the ground, as he fell Yang managed to clock him right in the face, the force of the blow sending him tumbling to the ground.

 

Blake immediately readied Gambol Shroud and it’s sheath, and made her way to the prone Tracker, however before she could attack Noire's eyes sparked blue and with a flick of his wrist a third explosion erupted all around them, filling the air with flames and debris which sent both Blake and Yang flying backward.

 

The blast left Blake disoriented, seeing stars, and with an intense ringing in her ears but it only served to further fuel Yang's anger and her semblance. Before the smoke even cleared she was charging back into the fight, rage completely clouding all her other senses. 

 

Noire had cleverly used the smoke from the explosion to get behind the Huntress and tried to strike at her legs, but she was too fast, reacting instantly with a vicious elbow which knocked the Tracker backward, pressing her advantage Yang grabbed his neck with her prosthetic arm and lifted him into the air.

 

When Blake had finally regained her faculties all she saw was her girlfriend choking Noire as he helplessly pawed at her face. She was questioning him “What the hell do you want from us!? My uncle isn't a  _ damn terrorist! _ Who sent you?! ”

 

Yang was too enraptured by her rage to notice Noire’s eye color shifted from blue to lilac. He spit in her face and began laughing. The fiery blonde reacted instantly, throwing Noire onto the ground and immediately hammering his face one strike after another and with no signs of stopping even as she heard Blake shout. “Stop you're gonna  _ kill _ him!”. Even as Noire's eyes shifted in color once again from a soft lilac to a blood red. Yang only stopped when one his hands gripped her robotic wrist and proceeded to break the arm in two.

 

Sparks filled the air as Yang was pulled into a series of headbutts by Noire, her semblance wearing off from the sheer surprise, leaving with zero aura to protect herself. She was unconscious in minutes but the Tracker kept up his onslaught, his eyes sparking red with every strike.

 

Blake was utterly confused by what transpired. _ What just happened!? Did he copy her semblance!? _ she needed to save Yang! And quickly The Tracker was still laying into her with all he had.

 

Sprinting forward Blake fired a barrage of bullets from Gambol Shroud to get his attention. It had worked and he stopped headbutting Yang and stood up. His aura was in overcharge, Blake could see it welling all over his body and filling the air with an almost static energy.

 

Noire set his crimson gaze on Blake and wiped Yang’s blood and the ashes from his face and slicked back his hair, some strands had come loose and were dangling over his face. The forest behind him was now totally engulfed in flames, a thick pillar of dark smoke pouring up into the night sky. “you guys are giving me a  _ major  _ headache! Just come with me already, it's not worth it! You wanna end up like your girlfriend and her daddy?” 

 

Blake stood her ground, Gambol Shroud at the ready. Her hands slightly shaking “what do you want from us!? We don't even know where Qrow is!”

 

Noire reached into his coat pocket and proceeded to light another cigar, his eyes shifted back to lilac, a mirror image of Yang's eyes that was so uncanny it made Blake's stomach turn. “Maybe so, but the three of you will make nice bait. Now will you come willingly or am I gonna have to  _ break  _ your femur or  _ something? _ ” 

 

Blake weighed her options, before she was confident she could take Noire, but now her partner was incapacitated and he had somehow stolen or copied her semblance, he was very unpredictable, she didn't like her odds. Honestly, she  _ was  _ afraid but she wasn't about to run away, that wasn’t her style anymore. 

 

But before she could make make her move she heard a sound, the sound of an approaching _airship?_ _Was it the Patch Fire Department? Tracker backup!?_

 

As the ship got closer Noire finally noticed it. “Shit. Listen Belladonna, you're either coming with me on two legs, or on a stretcher!” he looked apprehensive and nervous.  _ so it wasn't backup. _

 

The airship was now overhead and slowly descending, shining spotlights on the Huntress and the Tracker. The cargo door opened and two figures descended. 

 

_ Ruby and Weiss!? _

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was my first time trying to write an actual fight scene, so I hope it was at least somewhat engaging.
> 
> was Noire's semblance reveal obvious? was it interesting? who knows? certainly not me.
> 
> any who, mores on the way so stay tuned!


	7. Myths and Legends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh snap it's a new chapter! hope everyone enjoys it. sorry for the wait...was it even that long? who knows?
> 
> I don't own anything except my ideas

**Chapter 5: Myths and Legends**

  
  


“Can we finally talk about what the  _ hell  _ is going on already!?” Weiss growled in frustration. She had no more patience left to spare, Qrow had returned to his old mysterious, information-withholding self and Weiss was not pleased with that one bit. “Why are we going to Patch!?”

 

The group had arrived at the New Vale Airport and after Qrow had slipped some lien and some kind of passphrase to one of the receptionists were showed onto the airstrip, where they boarded onto a small civilian airship.

 

Qrow was currently messing with the controls and ignoring Weiss, much to her annoyance. After some some further fiddling the airship began its take off and Ruby decided now was probably a good time to get some answers, at least before Weiss had a brain aneurysm. “Ok... Uncle Qrow, now that we're in the air...can you tell us what this is all about? Why are we going to Patch?”

 

Qrow turned away from the controls and faced the two women, Ruby took note of how much older he looked, he was in his late forties now, more wrinkles were beginning to show on his face and his hair was more grey than black now, she could even spot some streaks of  _ white  _ too. “We're going to Patch to get the others, Blake, Yang, and Tai. Then after that we're meeting up with Oscar, getting off the grid for awhile.” Qrow reached inside of his shirt and retrieved his flask and took a small swig. “As far as the Trackers go...it’s the same shit, different day, kiddo. They're looking for the Maidens, Oscar and I are the only ones who know where they are, what else is new?”

 

Ruby and Weiss shared a confused glance. “ _ Why _ do they want the Maidens though? I thought the Relics were sealed away for good.” 

 

Qrow's brow furrowed. “That's the only part that gets me, we don’t think their after the relics, just the Maidens.” he shrugged his shoulders and took another drink from his flask before putting it back in his shirt. “ Maybe it's just because they hold such  _ raw power _ , any group with all four of them under their thumb would be a formidable one. My guess is their trying to make some kind of power play. Make the Maidens into the new face of the Trackers or something to that effect”

 

Weiss let out an disgruntled huff. “Well, I guess that's settled then?” she began massaging her temples. “does this mean we have to save the world from evil  _ again? _ ” 

 

At that comment both Ruby and Qrow laughed, although Ruby's was much more of a nervous one. Qrow must have noticed this as he placed a firm hand on her shoulder. “Don't worry yourself too much, kiddo. The Trackers may be powerful, but they're  _ just  _ people, they're not like Salem.” 

 

* * *

 

 

Only half an hour had passed and Weiss was out cold, her head resting on Ruby's shoulder snoring lightly, the redhead thought it was very cute. But entertaining as it was you watch her girlfriend sleep, Ruby had a short attention span. Turning to her uncle she saw he was still awake.

 

“Hey Uncle Qrow...how much longer until we reach Patch?” The redhead whispered, trying not wake the resting ice queen.

 

Qrow looked at the main console of the airship. “Hmmmm...about another hour or so.”

 

Ruby let out a huff, she  _ would  _ try to get some rest but all this drama had her a little too wound up. It reminded her of whenever she would go on family trips away from Patch, she would bounce around and pester either her dad or Yang until she managed to tire herself out, so she set her sight on her uncle. “Hey....I have an idea, will you tell me a story, Uncle Qrow? Like you used to when I was little?”

 

Qrow groaned quietly. “Really, Ruby? You're what...  _ twenty  _ years old? I'm not telling you a story.” 

 

Ruby immediately played her trump card, going right for the jugular.  She gave her best pout paired with puppy dog eyes.  _ “Pleeeeease _ , Uncle Qrow?”

 

The aging Huntsmen had always had weakness for Ruby's puppy dog eyes, they reminded him  _ almost  _ too much of Summer. “Ok fine...let's see... alright Rubes have I ever told you the story of  _ Old Ned Scratch _ ?”

 

The young woman shook her head, already enraptured before the story even started.

 

Qrow leaned back. “Well it's an old Huntsman’s tale, not meant for kiddies, but I think you're old enough to hear it…Once upon a time.” 

 

* * *

 

 

_ A happy little family lived in a happy little cottage on the top of a happy little hill in a happy little canyon and they were known as the Scratch family. There was Papa Scratch and Mama Scratch and of course...little Ned Scratch. _

 

_ The Scratch family were wheat farmers and so every day they would need to check their harvest, grind their wheat, make it into bread, and then take the extra into the local village to trade. _

 

_ Little Ned loved to watch his Papa reap their crops with his heavy scythe. He loved helping grind their wheat in the mill. He loved helping his Mama make their bread. Little Ned’s most favorite job, however, was to bring his family's extra bread into the nearby village to sell and trade. He loved to see all the different kinds of people and buildings. _

 

_ Little Ned was happy. _

 

_ Until one day a Grimm with horns like a goat came through the village and ate everyone. _

 

_ Little Ned was very sad, because he could no longer visit the village, but he still enjoyed working on his family’s farm. He helped his Papa harvest the crops with the heavy scythe. He helped grind the wheat in the mill. He still helped his Mama make their bread. The extra bread they had was left uneaten and grew green with mold. _

 

_ Little Ned was still happy. _

 

_ Until one day a Grimm with horns like a moose came through the canyon and ate Papa Scratch. _

 

_ Little Ned was very sad, because his Papa was now dead, but he still enjoyed working on his family’s farm. He harvested the crops as best he could with the heavy scythe. He worked the mill as best he could. He helped his Mama make their bread as best as he could. Little Ned brought the extra bread to Papa Scratch’s grave. _

 

_ Little Ned was still sad. _

 

_ Until one day a Grimm with horns like a Rhino came through the canyon and ate Mama Scratch. _

 

_ Little Ned was very sad, because now his Mama was dead. He harvested the crops with the heavy scythe, alone. He pushed the mill to grind the wheat, alone. He made the bread, alone. Ned brought the extra bread to Papa and Mama Scratch’s graves.    _

 

_ Ned Scratch was angry. _

 

_ Until one day a Grimm with horns like an insect came through the canyon and destroyed his farm. _

 

_ Ned was furious, because now he had nothing. He took the heavy scythe, let out a mighty roar, and with one swing he cut the Grimm in two halfs. With nothing left except his heavy scythe, Ned Scratch left his home in the canyon, searching, searching for Grimm. _

 

_ Ned Scratch was...furious. _

 

_ Ned Scratch became death incarnate for the Grimm and he brought upon them a hell that was hotter than five thousand suns. One by one, goat horns, moose horns, rhino horns, and everything in between. Ned Scratch felled every Grimm he saw, nobody could how many he had slain. _

 

_ His hate cast a shadow over the entire world and the Grimm instead of being drawn toward it, balked in the face of it. _

 

_ Even as he grew old and grey Ned Scratch never put down the heavy scythe, even as he drew his last breath his hands gripped the heft of the heavy scythe. _

 

_ Even now the spirit of Old Ned Scratch still lives on, keeping the Grimm at bay. _

 

_ Old Ned Scratch was still angry.    _

 

* * *

 

 

“Wow...that was definitely... _ different _ .” Said a very unsettled Ruby, still trying to process the story she had just heard.  _ what was the message even?  _

 

Qrow made a noise of agreement. “ _ Yeah _ , maybe the story hasn't really aged well... _ but _ it's got some pretty interesting history behind it.”

 

The silver eyed girl tilted her head quizzically. “Really? how so?”

 

The older Huntsman leaned back in his seat. “Well, a long time ago, before even the Great War there were records of a type of Grimm known as a  _ Hellion _ and they were a very unique type of Grimm because they possessed  _ intelligence _ , they could speak, make tools, weapons, and even influence the minds of other Grimm. However they've since gone extinct, hence why you've never heard of them.” Qrow spoke sagely as if recalling his old days of teaching.

 

Ruby quickly connected the dots. “So those big Grimm with the different kinds of horns were supposed to be Hellions?”

 

Qrow nodded. “ _ Yep _ . Oscar gave me the scoop a while back. He told me that back in the day Hellions were the worst kind of Grimm, they made all sorts of trouble and they were tough to kill too. Eventually Oz got sick of em’ and he found out there were a finite amount of them, so he rallied a huge hunting party together, decades before the academies were even thought of, and slaughtered them  _ all _ .”

 

Ruby tilted her head quizzically. “All of them?”

 

Qrow chuckled lightly. “Yes, Ruby.  _ All of them, _ and then he created and circulated the story of  _ Ned Scratch _ a story about your average person rising against the Grimm. “ _ If you stand and fight the Grimm will stand no chance. _ ” it was basically Huntsmen propaganda.”

 

“ _ Oh _ .” Ruby deflated a little, the mystique of the story was gone after learning it was something Oscar had just schemed together in one of his past lives.  

 

“ _ Yeap _ .” The older man made a grunt as he stood up from his seat, Ruby noted how tired he looked.  _ Just how long have the Trackers been giving you trouble, uncle Qrow? _

  
“You should probably wake up Ice Queen _ Junior _ there, will be in Patc—” Qrow blanched and did a double take before rushing to the airship’s cockpit. “What the hell!? Half the island looks like it's up in flames!”

 

 

 


	8. The Coming Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yooooo, new chapter! I feel like im on a role! hope you guys enjoy.
> 
> got comments? post em!
> 
> as ever I don't own RWBY, only my ideas.
> 
> See ya.

**Chapter 6: The Coming Storm**

 

Blake stood at the ready, Ruby and Weiss at her side, she suddenly liked her odds.

 

She was quick to get her teammates up to speed. “Everyone be careful! I think he can copy semblances! He currently has Yang's!”  

 

At this admission everyone noticeably tensed. But they still held their ground. Noire took another step forward towards the group of huntresses, his eyes still shimmering like Yang's. He threw his cigar away and ran a hand through his hair again. “Team RWBY...all of team  _ RWBY i- _ it must be my lucky day!  _ You're _ all coming with–” the Tracker's legs suddenly buckled and he fell onto his knees before struggling back to his feet. “You're coming...with... _ me”  _

 

The Huntresses shared confused glances between themselves, they didn't know how to proceed, their opponent was so unpredictable.

 

The Tracker clutched his head as though it were in intense pain and whimpered, a sad little sound that Blake was sure only she heard. Noire tried to take another step but he fell again, he looked up at the trio and his eyes were  _ burning _ red with fury, a familiar yellow colored aura flickered all around his body as he struggled and failed to stand again. “ _ You're... you're…” _ he gritting out.

 

By now the airship that had been hovering over the group landed. Qrow was at the trio’s side in an instant, tensed and with his weapon at the ready but he relaxed when he saw their opponent was barely able to stand. “Hey, kid! It's over! Tell your boss we got away, you don't need to make this worse for yourself.”

 

Noire looked at Qrow and immediately surged to his feet and managed to get another two steps in before completely collapsing into the dirt and grass, his surging aura shifting from bright yellow to dull turquoise before dissipating entirely. He tried to stand himself up with his arms but they gave out and he fell once again. His hands pawed helplessly at the ground beneath him trying to move his body, Blake could hear him chanting frantically to himself. “ _ Branwen… Branwen, Mr. Keppel… it's Branwen _ ”

 

After a few seconds his arms stopped moving and his body went still, he was unconscious. Everyone was dumbfounded at the display they had just scene, Blake especially, Noire had seemed fine before the others had arrived.  _ What changed? Did his adrenaline were off? _

 

Ruby let out an awkward cough, gingerly placing Crescent Rose into its compact form. “Uhm… that was _ anticlimactic _ .”

 

Everyone else similarly lowered their weapons confused and worried expressions on their faces. Qrow kept his eyes on the burning treeline, scouting for any possible reinforcements, they were good, for now at least. He grabbed Blake's shoulder and turned her to face him. “Where’s Tai? We need to grab him and then get Yang on the airship, were getting out if here.” 

 

Blake nodded, that sounded like a good idea, plus Qrow could probably shed some light on just what the hell was going on. ”Tai is in front the house, he’s unconscious, too.” she gestured to Noire’s unconscious form. “What about him? Should we take him with us?”

 

Qrow shook his head and grumbled. “Just leave him, Tracker’s could Probably pick up his scent real quick, they'd find us in an instant. Once we get out of here well be off their radar.”

 

Blake only hoped he was correct.

  
  


* * *

 

 

Noire sat in an abandoned shack on the far south side of Patch, thankfully far enough to not get caught in the forest fire he started. He took a drag from one of his Mistralian Cigars and nearly choked as the smoke entered his lungs...it was  _ awful! _ The smell and the taste were making him nauseous beyond belief and doing absolutely nothing to help with the head splitting migraine the Tracker was currently nursing.  _ Why do I even smoke these!? _

 

It had been a full day since Noire's encounter with Blake and the Xiao Long's. All though he  _ technically  _ succeeded, he was very disappointed in his performance, he was sloppy, relying too much on his semblance and not effectively using his hand-to-hand skills. He hadn't brought his weapons for a  _ reason!  _

 

_ I was lucky that the old man's semblance was so straightforward and offensive or else I could've been in trouble, same with Blondie too if I hadn't used her semblance she probably would have killed me. Pathetic. Pathetic! PATHETIC! You were trained so much better than this! _

 

Noire’s harsh inner monologue was interrupted when he felt a sharp pain  _ shoot  _ up his right arm it was so fast and intense that it caused the Tracker to cry out, he had never felt a sensation like this before. The quickly subsided only to be replaced by a shiver that ran itself up his  _ left  _ arm and then the whole appendage began trembling, so badly that he dropped his cigar. Noire used his other hand to try and steady the shaking limb, holding tightly onto his wrist.  _ What is this? i've never felt this way before. _

 

The Tracker nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the door to the cabin open and he saw Mr. Keppel enter the the shack, Marron following behind like a good little lap dog, hand gripping his stupid briefcase so hard it looked like he was gonna pop a blood vessel.

 

Mr. Keppel was quick to notice Noire had not been successful in his mission. “So, you start the most devastating fire in Patch’s modern history and  _ still  _ managed to come back empty handed?” He clicked his tongue dismissively “I'm very disappointed in  _ you _ , Noire.” Mr. Keppel’s cyan eyes bored into Noire's like two massive drills, he looked almost sad, like Noire's failure brought him sadness.

 

Noire felt like crying, he hated making Mr. Keppel feel disappointed, so he spoke up quickly explaining how he hadn’t failed. “N-no, Sir! I didn't fail...I got something better than Branwen bait! He came to their rescue, I saw him, he talked to me! You made direct eye contact with the Xiao Long girl or the faunas, right?”

 

The old man nodded, a genuine smile spreading across his face, even Marron's bug eyes seemed to open even wider at this revelation.

 

Noire couldn't help but smile either. “There's no way Qrow would abandon one of his nieces, especially not in the state I left her! So all you need to do is use your semblance to lead us to  _ her _ , which leads us to  _ Qrow _ , which leads us to the  _ Maidens! _ ” 

 

Mr. Keppel let out a bellowing laugh his dark features crinkling in pure mirth. “Once the boss here's about this, he'll be pleased as damn punch! and Bosch too! Noire, I knew my trust in you was well placed!” 

 

Noire felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes as Mr. Keppel patted him on his shoulders, he felt like a new man! Eager to get back to work he stood up. “Ok so what's the next step Sir?”

 

The old Tracker reached into his pocket retrieving his scroll. “I'm going to call the others, you and Marron need to find Bosch and help him load up the Grimm to be shipped back to Vacuo.”

 

Noire turned to his reluctant partner and wrapped his arm around his shoulder, he knew how much he hated being touched. “Alrighty Marron! Where can we find Bosch, the big bastard!?” 

 

Marron roughly pushed his moronic partner out of his personal space, resisting the urge to bite out his jugular and managed to speak in his normal reserved tone. “He was taken by your rather  _ bold  _ display last night, so he ran off to write some more poetry, we'll probably find him where the fires stopped.”

 

Noire stood up, slicked back his hair, and slammed his two fists together, a wry smile pressed on his face, it was only a matter of time now, before they...before _he_ showed everyone. “Lead the way, Marron-Gray! We've got a _Grimm_ job on our hands!”

 

Marron cringed behind his collar at the awful pun his pun his partner made. “Did you really just say that? Since when were you one for idiotic jokes?”

 

* * *

 

 

 

“So let me get this straight…  _ another  _ evil group want the Maidens?” Blake asked exasperatedly, Yang's still unconscious form resting on her lap. 

 

Weiss immediately chimed in. sounding even more annoyed than usual. “That's what  _ I _ said!” She was currently helping Ruby with an extremely disoriented Taiyang.

 

“Yeah… that's basically it” Qrow said a matter of factly “although we still aren't sure of what their final goal is or why there doing this in the first place.”

 

An awkward silence filled the airship Blake still had questions however. “Noire, Agent Kühlen. Did you know about him, Qrow? About his ability to steal powers?” 

 

The older man shook his head. “I knew  _ of _ him, never saw him myself, but we'll be getting to that. We just need to get to Oscar on the outskirts of Solitas, the Alt Mantle region more specifically. He's knows where the Maidens are, and we can debrief more there, when everybody's  _ hopefully  _ conscious.” Qrow made a vague gesture at Yang and then Tai

 

“It'll be a three day flight, if the Trackers have lost our scent, which i'm sure they have… just don't worry about it, try and get some rest..”

 

* * *

 

 

Ruby didn't like this one bit, her father  _ and _ sister were both unconscious at the hands of someone who could apparently copy another's semblance!? And on top of that her uncle was acting all secretive  _ again _ , it was obvious from what she overheard with his talk with Blake that he wasn't giving the full story and that  _ did not _ sit well with her.

 

A sudden hand on the redhead’s shoulder jolted her from her thoughts. It was Weiss, she had a concerned look on her face. “Are you ok, Ruby? You were zoning out their for a second. Is something bothering you?”

 

Ruby smiled and interlaced her hand with the one on her shoulder, she loved that Weiss was so concerned about her,  _ she really has come a long way since Beacon.  _ The huntress thought fondly.

 

“ _ Nah, _ I'm just thinking about this whole crazy situation, y’know a guy who can steal your semblance... that's  _ pretty  _ scary.”

 

The former heiress solemnly nodded in agreement. She thought back to what little she saw of this “ _ Agent Kühlen _ ” she had seen his type before, he was  _ unstable _ and  _ desperate _ , it reminded her of someone like  _ Cinder.  _ “Yes… It is a very unsettling thought.” 

 

“It's even more unsettling in person.” Blake interjected from across the airship, carefully leaving Yang's side to come sit with the two teammates. “I don't think I realized how devastating your dad's semblance was until Noire used it level  _ half  _ a forest.”

 

Ruby let out a sad laugh and looked at her father, rubbing the back of her neck. Tai had slipped back into unconsciousness, he was covered in small burns and cuts but thankfully his aura was slowly but surely healing them, there would be no long term damage just a couple new scars. “Yeah, dad always used to tell us how dangerous his semblance could be if he accidentally went overboard with it. Seems silly but I… never really understood what he meant until now.” Ruby looked up at Blake with concerned eyes. “What did Noire say he wanted? The Agents me and Weiss saw asked us about my uncle, they wanted to know where he was.”

 

Blake’s gaze met Ruby’s and she tried her best to make it reassuring, but it was difficult, this was just a bad situation, plain and simple. “When Yang and I first saw Noire and his partner they didn’t ask us about your uncle, they didn’t even seem to know who we were, but when he showed up at Tai’s house he told us we were under arrest… Blake lowered her voice to a whisper so that only Weiss and Ruby could hear her. ”He said your uncle was a  _ terrorist. _ ” 

 

Everyone remained silent, unsure of what to say next. Weiss saw a melancholy expression wash over her girlfriend, so she decided to change the subject for now. “Despite everything It’s, uh– it's good to see you again Blake, and Yang too, I just wish it was under different circumstances.”

 

The raven-haired woman gave her a small smile, she looked very tired and that was very understandable, she was just caught horribly off guard by a very dangerous opponent and narrowly escaped a vicious beating by the skin of her teeth.”It's really good to see you two again as well, actually. Yang and I were talking about coming to visit and maybe looking into a big team contract, just like old times.”

The three women all smiled at the thought, it would have been nice, however they had instead been thrust head first into something with much higher stakes than a simple Grimm hunt. Another group dead set on finding the Maidens for some kind of mysterious end. An unwelcome case of major _deja vu_ for the three Huntresses, however they were not deterred and instead steeled themselves for the coming storm, ready to face it head on,  _ together _ .

 

 

 


	9. Deluge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's day y'all! and this year my Valentines are the people who have taken the time to read my weird little story
> 
> Ho here we are! a new chapter. Enjoy it mates, this ones for you!
> 
> I don't own RWBY, what else is new?

**Chapter 7: Deluge**

 

The crisp Atlesian snows crunched under the boots of Cerise Freischutz, he was beginning to regret shaving his beard, but his debriefing told him that Rose and Schnee were going to be here, so he needed some kind of disguise, just in case.

 

The Tracker had arrived just on the outskirts of Solitas a day ahead of Qrow Branwen and his little friends. Keppel had apparently come into some good luck on Patch and found out not only where he was heading but also that Ozpin would be there as well. Which was good news for Cerise, it meant they were getting closer and closer to their goal.

 

Although he was very happy he was also, slightly annoyed. Keppel had said over the his scroll that he and the two morons would not be available for backup for some time, apparently they had caught a significant amount of Grimm in Patch, Tracassin was probably over the moon about that. This, however wasn't to say he'd taking on this operation alone. No, Cerise would have the assistance of Bosch and whatever Grimm he could wrangle up on site, a certain chairman was also lending a hand. Though Cerise was extremely intimidated by these two, he understood their usefulness. This also wasn't even taking into consideration the  _ 5000 fresh  _ off production Atlesian Knight-550’s that the very generous  _ General  _ of the Atlesian military had gifted the Association.

 

_ RWBY and Ozpin were simply outgunned,  _ the Tracker thought as he could see the cabin Keppel told him to meet with the boss and Bosch, he could already see their airship parked out front.

 

* * *

 

_ Three days _ had passed without a hitch and team RWBY along Qrow and Taiyang had made it to the small settlement of  _ Fischerdorf _ located right on the most southern part of Solitas, the place looked almost like a postcard with all the little log cabins covered in thick layers of of snow.

 

The entire group departed their airship, Yang had awoken along with Tai on the second day of travel and were soundly brought up to speed on the situation, Yang, surprisingly had been very quiet for remainder of the voyage, not sharing much conversation with anyone, even Blake and Ruby, her loss against Noire was obviously gnawing at her.

 

Qrow was the first to speak up breaking the silence, “Oscar's told me that there's a skilled blacksmith in town, they could possibly fix your arm, Yang.” the blonde only made an acknowledging grunt. Qrow continue on. “but it will have to wait until after Oscar debriefs you, and I know it's freezing but we're gonna have to wait until after the debriefing to deal with that too.”

 

“And where is Oscar exactly? In a cave somewhere? Are we going to have risk hypothermia just to get to him?” Weiss asked sarcastically she was impatient to get her answers 

 

The old Huntsman pointed to a large cabin just outside the main grouping of cabins “ _ nah, _ he's just staying in there.”

 

Blake hummed to herself, taking in the surroundings of the little village, there were only twenty or so buildings. “that's smart, no better place to hide than a in the middle of this icy wasteland” she looked over to Weiss with sly grin. “No offense.”

 

Weiss shrugged her shoulders dismissively. “none taken, you're absolutely right, this is the  _ Alt Mantle _ region of Solitas after all, it's almost a polar desert. I believe there's a rather large forest a couple kilometers from here if my memory suits me but that's just about it, nothing but snow, mountains, and regret.”

 

Ruby flung herself onto her girlfriend's arm with a dreamy expression on her face. “woooah, Weiss! You're  _ sooooo  _ smart! How could you  _ even  _ remember stuff like that?!”

 

The white haired woman fought the blush that rose to her cheeks, unable to form a response and Taiyang let out a bellowing laugh at the rather cute display. Blake noticed Yang was trying to fight back a smile and that put some of her worries at bay. The group continued on for a few minutes or so before they reached the door to Oscar's cabin.

 

Qrow knocked on the door loudly and shouted “i'm back  _ Oz! _ I got everyone! We weren’t followed, now let us in, it's  _ frickin freezing  _ out here!”

 

A muffled “coming!” Was heard followed by the sound of several locks being unlocked before it was opened and on other side stood Oscar, with an unreadable expression on his face that quickly morphed into a warm smile. “ah, it's good to see all of you again, please come in” he gestured with a gloved hand “we have  _ much  _ to discuss.”

 

* * *

 

 

Oscar had definitely grown since the last time Ruby had saw him he was almost taller than Qrow and had certainly bulked up although he still looked like the same person, his mannerisms were  _ different _ , he wasn't 14-year-old Oscar Pine, terrified of the war he was forced into fighting against his will and he wasn't the mysterious Professor Ozpin, calm and calculated to a fault, instead he seemed to be an unsettling combination of both, like their souls really did become one.

 

He still wore his bright orange farming gloves despite them clashing with the the rather smart looking dark green suit he wore, Ruby was surprised they even still fit him. She also noticed a pair circular sunglasses inside the suit pocket. _ He even dresses like Ozpin now? _

 

Oscar led everyone into the living room of the cabin and they all sat down on the rather large couch there, a projector was set up pointed at a white tarp on one of the walls, it reminded Ruby of her days at Signal when they would watch those silly “educational videos” in class.

 

“I understand how tedious these sorts of things can be, so I'll try and keep this quick, I'm sure Qrow has given you the basics.” Oscar began abruptly, turning on the projector “The Tracker Association is a global institution with hundreds of agents active across Remnant, it's chairman, Floyd Littlehorn is a well respected Huntsmen, you all know this. But what you don’t know is that he was a former associate of mine-” 

 

Oscar flicked to the first which showed a photo of a  _ very  _ old looking man with dull yellow eyes and olive skin, his bearded face was covered in all manner of scars, he looked like a veteran Huntsmen.

 

“Which means that he is aware of the existence of the Maidens and this makes him, most likely the orchestrator of this whole operation. Sounds simple but things only get stranger from here, as I said before the Association has hundreds of agents under its banner, but in the past year alone  _ 95% _ of their agents have disappeared  _ completely _ , simply dropped off the face of Remnant and no explanation has been given. And none of the Kingdoms are asking any questions” 

 

Oscar switched to the next slide which appeared to have been taken by a person hiding in a tree, the picture was of several Beowolves inside cages being transported onto a large airship.

 

“To make matters stranger the Association also seems to be capturing extremely large amounts of Grimm, under the guise of Huntsmen, I'm sure you've all noticed the a decrease in the amounts available contracts, this is the source.”

 

Oscar continued “the search for the Maidens and capture of Grimm is being carried out by a small but elite unit of the Association, consisting of at least five members, excluding Floyd-”

 

The next slide showed a photo of an older looking dark skinned man walking down a city street with a cane, his piercing cyan eyes visible even through the grainy quality of the photo. “Argus Keppel, the handler of this unit, combat capabilities: unknown, semblance: unknown”

 

A click, and the next slide appeared, a man leaning against a wall, the brim of the fedora he wore obscuring his eyes but his long blonde hair and beard were very visible, Ruby and Weiss both recognized him. Oscar continued on “Cerise Freischutz, a second in command type, he is a competent fighter but his semblance remains unknown.”

 

Another click, and a photo of two young men that appeared to be waiting outside a building. One was decked in full black, matching his slicked back hair, squatting with a cigar between his fingers, his partner was obscured by his large collared coat and messy mop of hair, both Yang and Blake tensed upon see them along with Taiyang. “These are Noire Kühlen and Marron-Gray Comorbid, the Association's pet project for the last three years, both have been trained specifically as anti-huntsman weapons due to their extremely powerful semblances, Noire has the ability to copy another's semblance while Marron-Gray possesses the ability to stop someone from using their Aura  _ entirely _ .”

 

The next slide appeared on the tarp and completely captivated everyone in the room, if they weren't worried after learning Agent Comorbid’s semblance they were worried now. The photo was of a figure shrouded by shadow in front of burning building, it was certainly a person, they were wearing a large brimmed hat, and carried what appeared to be a large axe with a strangely curved blade. “And finally we have whoever this is, they are extremely dangerous and their semblance is unknown.”

 

Oscar turned to the six Hunters in his living room and locked eye with Blake and gave her an expectant look. “ _ Miss Belladonna _ , I know you worked as Tracker for a time, do you have any insights you could give us? Do you recognize any of these people?”

 

Blake’s ears flattened on her head at the memory of her fight with Noire. “Yang and I had a run in with Kühlen and Comorbid, we saw Noire’s semblance in action, that’s how Yangs prosthetic got destroyed.” she stopped talking for a moment when she noticed Yang shrink at the mention of her arm. “... I know who Argus Keppel is,  _ too _ . I never met him but he was a  _ legend _ in Vacuo, apparently he could find  _ anybody. _ “ _ Best Tracker in the Association _ ” is what people would say.”   

 

Oscar brought a gloved hand to his chin. His hazel-green eyes met Blake’s once again. “Thank you for the information, does anybody else have anything to add?” 

 

Weiss immediately spoke up. “Yes, it appears your Intel may have been slightly off, Ruby and I were approached by this Cerise Freischutz and  _ another  _ agent, Jonquil Tracassin, he said his name was.”

 

Blake went rigid on her spot on Ozpin’s couch.  _ It couldn't be… could it? _ “ _ Wait _ , I knew Jonquil… he was the Assistant Chairman and my handler, he  _ wasn’t  _ a field agent, it makes no sense that he would be skulking around outside of Vacuo. Are sure that's what he said his name was? What did he look like?” the raven haired woman hoped there was some sort of misunderstanding.

 

At this question Ruby shot up from her spot on the couch. “ _ Oooh _ , he had really  _ really  _ light brown hair, and this really creepy smile, and had really squinty eyes, I don't even know how he could see! He was a total  _ weirdo! _ ”

 

Blake lowered her head, ears going flat against the base of her skull once again. “That’s him, I’m  _ disappointed  _ to learn that he’s involved in all this.” 

 

Oscar was silent for a moment as he took Blake’s additional information into consideration, his expression changed to something unreadable for a moment before he spoke again. “That is unfortunate. I'm sorry to hear that a friend of yours is involved with all this  _ nonsense _ .” Oscar tried to give Blake a comforting smile, but it came off as strangely forced. “But this Jonquil… he's another unknown variable which puts us at a disadvantage considering how much they know about us. Can you describe his semblance, his combat capabilities?”

 

Blake shook her head. “No, I never saw him fight, I know he was a registered Huntsman. I think he said he served in the Vacuan army during the war. He had some kind of sword hung up in his office but I have no clue how well he could use it.” 

 

Oscar sighed inwardly and scanned his eyes over the rest of the group. “I see, are there any other questions or comments?”

 

Taiyang raised his hand, as if he were in elementary school and Oscar nodded at him. “so Uhm...Ozp–I mean Oscar what's our plan of attack?”

 

Oscar changed to the final slide on projector it was a map of the Alt Mantle region with the locations of four settlements marked on it. “Ah yes, I was getting to that. You see… the four Maidens are all here in Alt Mantle. Each one lives in one the highlighted settlements completely ignorant of their powers and the danger they're in… and I intend to keep it that way until the Association is  _ dealt  _ with” 

 

The room was completely silent at this revelation and Oscar continued on with his plan. “You're going to split up into groups of two and each of you will stand watch over a settlement and make sure nothing goes wrong, while I remain here in Fischerdorf, with the Fall Maiden and try and get the other Kingdom's to do something about Floyd. Are there any objections?”

 

Blake was the first to break the silence. “These Tracker's are dangerous and whatever insane plan they have for the Maidens, is definitely not one I want to see come to fruition, I'm in.”

 

Ruby quickly followed “yeah! I agree with Blake, these are a dangerous bunch of people and who better to defend the world from danger than team RWBY!” the team leader followed her statement with a little fist pump.

 

Weiss chuckled lightly at her partners antics. “someone needs to make sure this  _ dolt _ doesn't hurt herself, I'll go along with the plan.” 

 

Taiyang stood from his spot on the couch. “I've seen what these guys are capable of first hand, they're not going to get away with whatever hair brained scheme they got in the works.”

 

Qrow made a “ _ hmph _ ” noise before speaking “you already know I stand with you, Oz.”

 

Oscar turned his gaze to Yang who had been the most quiet of the group. “and what about you Miss Xiao Long?”

 

Yang looked up from the floor and her red tinted eyes met Oscar's hazel ones. “So long as I get snap that Kühlen kid's spine, you'll hear no complaints from me.”

 

Oscar smirk inwardly, before addressing the entire group. “Alright everyone, here's how it's going to go-” he gestured to the board “to the to the north-east we have  _ Heimstätte  _ which holds the Summer maiden, Miss Rose and Miss Schnee I would like you two stationed there. Directly east some kilometers of Heimstätte is  _ Waldstadt  _ where the Spring Maiden resides, that’s where I’d like Qrow and Mr. Xiao Long. Finally to the north-west is the Winter Maiden, in the settlement of  _ Eishaus,  _ Miss Belladonna and Xiao Long that is where you will be stationed. Any further inquiry?”

 

* * *

 

 

The door of the tiny little shack that  _ Floyd Littlehorn _ and his fellow Trackers had been occupying for the last day and a half violently swung open, nearly shocking the old man out of his wheelchair. It was Cerise and he looked very excited. “We're in the money, sir! I just got the call from Keppel, the Maidens are  _ all  _ here!” 

 

Floyd let out what could only be described as a _cackle,_ he just couldn't fight the excitement that wracked his entire body, _finally a good fight!_ he mused to himself before turning to Cerise. “Well then, looks like I'll have to suit up, in the meantime find Bosch and tell him that _“majestic beast”_ of his will come in handy.”

 

With a grunt of exertion the ancient man stood himself from his wheelchair. “We've got some scheming to do, my boy.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woah notes at the end!? have done this before?(hint: I cant remember)
> 
> so for a while this chapter was just called "the actual plot dump" but i changed it to deluge because it's much more dramatic sounding but still can mean the same thing. Y'know flood of water, flood of information.
> 
> I hope you liked it and if not tell me what to do to improve.
> 
> the story is entering a new arc and i think this is where things start to pick up. chapters be getting longer and things be getting more interesting.
> 
> don't touch that dial now...we're jut getting started.


	10. World of Remnant: The War Against Evil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo! new chapter...well technically not a "new" chapter per se, a new WoR interlude! I hope y'all find it intriguing
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY, homie.

**World of Remnant: The War Against Evil.**

 

A long time ago, longer than anyone can remember, there lived a  _ man  _ and  _ woman. _ The two were great friends but both held different opinions and as often as is the case, this difference in opinion drove a stake between them.

 

You see, both had seen terrible things in their life times: death, war, disease, _Grimm_ , and many more hardships. They both wished for the world to change but in different ways…

 

The hardships the man had saw tempered his resolve and made him wish for a world of peace, a world where these hardships no longer existed.

 

The hardships the woman had seen, however only filled her darkness and resentment for the entire world, she wanted to destroy it all and leave  _ nothing  _ left.

 

So they each went their separate ways.

 

They each prayed to the gods for strength, strength to change the world and eventually their prayers were both answered. 

 

A god of darkness heard the woman’s prayer for fire and brimstone to rip the world asunder and was greatly amused by this, he granted her immense power at the cost of her soul, which he took as payment.

 

A god of light heard the man’s prayer for the strength to banish evil from this world and was greatly inspired by this, he granted the him immense power and strengthened his soul, claiming that they would take it back once the evil of this world had been banished.

 

With the power of gods behind them, they began to change the world.

 

The woman, now without a soul, was closer more to Grimm than Human and so she commanded the Grimm from every corner of the globe to wreak havoc and destroy  _ everything _ . 

 

The man, whose soul was stronger than ever, became a great ruler who united the entire world to fight the forces of the woman and her Grimm

 

They fought year after year after  _ year _ ...and many lost their lives to Grimm and the woman’s powerful magic, and eventually the man who had come to be her greatest enemy, lost his life as well. The woman rejoiced at his death, but her celebration was short lived.

 

For the man returned to challenge the woman once again, his soul now in a different body. 

It turns out the god of light had been extremely literal when he granted the man his power.

 

_ “once the evil of this world had been banished.” _

 

And so the woman and the man found themselves locked in an eternal struggle.

 

Time after time he would fail and perish, only to return and save humanity from the brink of extinction, his conviction only growing  _ stronger  _ as her rage grew  _ deeper. _

 

Each side turning to more  _ unsavory  _ methods to gain the upperhand

 

_ Magic relics, secret powers and curses, alliances, bribery, and threats _ , nothing was off limits.

 

One by one, hundreds by hundreds, the people of the world were thrown onto the pyre.

 

After a point the fighting stopped being about the world. Each only caring about destroying the other, their hatred the only thing keeping them going.

 

_ “Destroy the world!” _

 

_ “Save the world!” _

 

_ “Kill the woman!” _

 

_ “Kill the man!”  _

 

_ “Sacrifice! Sacrifice! Sacrifice!” _

 

Until one day the man stood before the woman for the final time and  _ she  _ perished.

 

And with no soul of her own, she simply stopped existing, like dust in the wind she was gone and the war was over.

 

Those around the man rejoiced in the moment, tossing their weapons to the ground, embracing one another with joy in their hearts... _ but _ not him.

 

“What now?” the man said to himself. “My journey has reached its end...and yet my heart still burns with  _ hate. _ Why do I still draw breath!?” 

 

The man, it seems, still had a job to do. For the evil of this world was not gone…

 

A great beast was lurking in the shadows, loosening it's jaws, ready to swallow up all the light.

 

A beast that the man had shaped with his own hands.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooh more end notes! how exciting, im sure. 
> 
> little extra detail: im sure its obvious, but this WoR is not being narrated by Qrow, it's somebody else... I won't say who though.
> 
> more is on the way!
> 
> dont forget to comment and tell if this shit sucks or not.


	11. Ill-Gotten Gains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> new chapter!? hell yeah! enjoy it babes.
> 
> I don't own RWBY, my dude.

**Chapter 8: Ill-Gotten Gains**

Yang walked briskly through the snowy streets? Could she really call them streets? Of Fischerdorf trying desperately to ignore the way the sleeve of her newly acquired winter jacket flapped in the harsh winds. Oscar, for _some_ reason had a weirdly vast collection of winter gear for team RWBY to choose from since they were gonna be spending a fair amount of time here in _Snow Hell_ , The blonde had chosen to dawn a thick leather jacket with a fur trimmed collar paired with a cream colored turtleneck along with some dark brown insulated cargo pants.

 

She was looking _fierce_ and it paired well with the _fierce_ mood she was in, Yang couldn't remember the last time she was this _pissed_ , and she was having trouble keeping it together, it was true that she had come a long way in terms of managing her temper, but something about her fight with _Noire_ refused to leave her mind and the more it lingered there, the more angry she got.

 

Her prosthetic arm being completely destroyed _did not_ help at all.

 

“Hey, Yang that blacksmith Oscar mentioned is the opposite way.” Blake pointed out to her girlfriend, Yang had almost forgotten she was with her, carrying the remains of her arm in a box, supposedly this blacksmith was a real maestro who could repair her prosthetic in no time at all before the two would head off to their assigned settlement, Eishaus which would take a full day of travel by snowmobile. Ruby, Weiss, Qrow, and her Father had already began making their way to their settlements.

 

“Oh yeah sorry, Blakey...I’m jus- my mind is cluttered right now.” the blonde grumbled as changed her trajectory only to be greeted by her partner’s cynical gaze. Blake had always hated the cold, Menagerie was the _exact_ opposite of Solitas when it came to climate, so as she stood in a thick white parka, her patience for Yang’s brooding had been worn utterly thin so she decided to try verbally knock some sense into her partner. “Listen Yang, I understand that fight with Noire has you frustrated and that’s ok, I know that’s just how you deal with things...but now it’s starting to mess with your head and that is _not_ ok, things have gotten really serious, so it's time to cut the shit.”

 

Yang visibly recoiled at this. _damn, she cuts deep._ She usually got volatile when people called her out but with Blake it always made her feel like she was being chewed out by a principle or something, so she didn't say anything back.

 

Blake swa her partner shrink in on herself and she thought she had maybe gone _too_ far. She hated being like this with Yang but she knew it was the best way to get her out of these moods. Gingerly she wrapped the blonde in a loose embrace, one that she could easily get out of if it made her uncomfortable. “...I'm sorry, if that was a little harsh, Yang. But you needed to hear that, we have a job to do...so let’s just get this over with.”

 

Yang smiled at Blake’s apology and returned the hug as best she could. “Thank you, Blake. I think I actually needed that wake up call. Let’s meet this _legendary_ blacksmith, shall we?”. Yang was still fuming over Noire, but decided to make an effort to push him out of her thoughts.

 

A few more steps and the two were outfront of _Stehlen Steelworks,_ a shop looking right out of some medieval fairytale with the forge outside underneath a small roof to protect it from the elements, a figure was hunched over an, anvil hammering away at something, the clang of metal on metal helping added to the old fashioned aesthetic of the place.

 

The two huntresses exchanged silent glances of confusion, neither knowing the proper etiquette of the situation. Yang shrugged and began approaching the working smith, intent on simply interrupting them, they were on somewhat of a time limit, after all.

 

However, an interruption was not needed, as the smith abruptly stopped their ministrations and turned the Huntresses and spoke. “Can I help you two, or have you just come to admire a craftswoman at work?”

 

Yang was silent for a moment before gesturing to Blake to come forward with the box containing the remains of her arm. “Yeah, you can help us, heard from a friend that your one hell of a smith. Got a repair job for you.”

 

The blacksmith was now fully facing Yang and she could now see just how _young_ she was, maybe 16 or 17. She made a grunt of understanding then gestured for the huntresses to follow her into the modest cabin attached to the forge.

 

The inside of _Stehlen Steelworks_ was surprisingly nice and organized, much more than one would think a blacksmith in the middle of nowhere would be. In the front, high quality weapons of a shapes and sizes lined the along with buckets filled with nails, screws, nuts, bolts, and even fish hooks of various varieties and styles. The backroom however, which was where Yang and Blake were currently situated, was a _bit_ more cluttered, functioning as a three-in-one bedroom, kitchen, and workshop. Mechanisms and weapon parts of a kinds were scattered _everywhere_ , almost completely taking over the entire space, Yang even noticed a desk were the young smith was apparently hand making her own bullets.

 

The blonde turned to her girlfriend and whispered. “Man, we shoulda brought Ruby with us, she’d have gone _bonkers_.”

 

Blake tried to stifle a giggle and nodded in agreement.

 

The Smith cleared a small table of it’s tools and implements and gestured for the couple to sit down before joining them on the opposite side, she cleared her throat and spoke in a much gentler voice than her previous shouting. “I'm Jorah Stehlen, how may I be of assistance? You said you needed some repairs?”

 

Yang hadn't taken notice until now but, Jorah’s eyes were a bright shade of orange and almost glowed like molten metal, it was enrapturing. Strangely captivating eyes aside the girl looked pretty normal, her was face dotted with several small burns and her pale brown hair tied into a tight bun. There was something about her presence that was almost otherworldly, Yang had pretty good feeling of what that meant. _Still keeping us in the dark, eh, Oz?_

 

Keeping her calm demeanor, the blonde continued with introductions. “I'm Yang Xiao Long and this is Blake Belladonna, my partner and we’ve got-uhm, a repair job for you.” Blake placed the box on the table and opened it, revealing the destroyed prosthetic held within.

 

Jorah quickly grabbed the two halves of the arm and began inspecting them with an enthusiasm that yet again made Yang think of her little sister. “ _Wow_ ! What in _Dust_ managed to do _this!?_ This thing is heavy duty, Atlas military standard issue Polendina Ersatz Mk.6, made with a ultralight steel-titanium alloy and carbon fiber layering designed to withstand the jaws of King Taijitu at least _50_ years old! And this thing snapped it right in half at the forearm, not even bothering to tear it out of the socket!”

 

 _She even rambles like Ruby, too._ Yang thought to herself before speaking with gritted teeth as memories she was trying to supress came bubbling back up. “ _Well_ ...It was a _51_ year old Taijitu that did it, now can you fix or what!?”

 

Jorah narrowed her eyes in blatant skepticism. “Why are you Hunter types so _secretive_ all the time? Your friend up in that cabin is no different...Y’know part of fixing something is knowing how it broke in the first place, makes it so you know what mistakes _not_ to make again.”

 

Blake straighten in her seat, curiosity washing over her. _Maybe we can get some info on just what Oscar’s been doing up here._ “How do you know we’re associated with the man in the cabin?”

 

Jorah smiled brightly. “Everyone saw y’all go into that cabin of his, it’s the talk of the town! He’s been a real mystery ever since he showed up here last year, always slinking around, not talking to nobody, ‘cept me and the grocer lady, most folks are scared of him, so they keep their distance and rightly so, when Grimm get bold enough to try and attack this place… well i've _never_ seen anything like it in my life.” Jorah suppressed a shudder and clicked her tongue. “but anywho, to answer your other question, _no_ I actually can't fix your arm, if your _51_ year old Taijitu had simply ripped the socket, we'd be in business but its destroyed the circuitry, it's basically scrap at this point.”

 

Yang slammed her hand on the table “ _Dammit!_ For Dust’s sake what are we supposed to do now!?” She was _very_ distraught, without her arm, she was _useless_ , she was a _liability_.

 

Jorah smirked and got up from her seat. “Well hold your horse now! it just so happens that I _might_ have a replacement. _But_ , it'll cost you.”

 

Yang grimaced, suddenly remembering that Oscar hadn't given them any lien to pay for Jorah’s services. “How much?”

 

Jorah’s smile grew even larger. “Tell me how it _really_ got broke.”    

 

* * *

 

 

Amongst beasts, Cerise knew he was still just a man, a man with an army of tin soldiers behind him, easily broken by dangerous predators, which just so happened to be the business he was in, _hunting dangerous predators_ , all in all, he was small fish.

 

Nothing made this more clear than the two beings that stood before him, Floyd’s previously wheelchair bound form now standing tall as any man, his mechanical exoskeleton shimmering underneath his long coat and brimmed hat, he looked every part the machine god Cerise knew he was, that twisted axe of his soared through the air as he twisted and twirled it like a devilish conductor, he was passing the time. Obviously not terribly impressed by Bosch's “ _majestic beast_ ”, which was asleep? Or just lulled into some kind of relaxed state? The Tracker never really understood how Bosch’s influence over Grimm worked. “So what kind of Grimm is this again? I've never seen anything like it in my life.” Cerise was completely enraptured by the stag like Grimm, every inch of it's skin covered in layers and layers of bone-white armor plating, especially on its face, it almost seemed like the creature had a beak. However, by far the most interesting part was it's gigantic set of amber tinged antlers, the translucent frosted glass-like material they were made from pulsed with pale orange light, it was definitely conducting some kind of energy.

 

“It’s a Karnonos, 324 years old, according to Bosch, hence the excessive outer shelling, the antlers are conducting dust, but don’t let the color fool you, it could be conducting anything. I think it’ll keep Silver Eyes and the Schee occupied but they'll probably kill it, so admire it while you can. Paint your mental portraits and such.” Floyd’s mechanically distorted voice echoed out his helmet.

 

Cerise shoved his hands into his pockets and chuckled. “Tracassin would have a _fit_ if he knew this one was being wasted as fodder, it’s genetic makeup must be _quite_ unique.”

 

Floyd let out a chuckle of his own, although the distortion from his helmet made it sound more malicious than probably intended. “It takes a village, dear Cerise. Sacrifices have to be made from time to time.” the older Tracker tilted his head to the sky, getting an idea of the time of day. “You should probably begin your trek to Eishaus soon. Early bird catches the worm and similar idioms.”

 

Cerise rolled his eyes and began walking to the shack to load his supplies, it take only a couple of hours to hike to Eishaus from here, there was no real rush, but he decided to leave the old man to his thoughts, he always liked his alone time before a big fight. “Ok sir, i'm going… just don’t lose your Maiden, ok? I know seniors have trouble keeping track of things.”

 

The younger Tracker only heard the cackling of his superior as he made way to the shack.

 

The plan was simple. Hit Eishaus, Waldstadt, and Heimstätte all at once, disable or capture Ozpin’s lackys, acquire the Maidens... _then_ regroup outside of Fischerdorf and hit Ozpin himself with _everything_ they had, and grab the Fall Maiden in the confusion, use up all _5000_ of those Knights, if it the situation called for it. He reminded himself to write a thank you note to Atlas’s good General.

 

_Like I said… you're outgunned._

 

* * *

 

 

“I just think it's… _strange_ is all, General. Over _5000_ of the new models were built and we're only bringing _three_ to the _official_ public demonstration?”

 

The fifty something year old man grabbed the glass next to him, perhaps a little too hard, sloshing around the clear liquid held within as he brought it to his dry lips and slammed it back. It burned like all hell, but the man kept his face neutral, desperately trying to convince the cold cerulean gaze coming from the other side of his scroll’s monitor that he was drinking water.

 

Atlas’s General for last five years, Aaron Glass, ran a hand through his graying green locks, trying to think of a good excuse, this woman was quickly becoming his arch nemesis. “Listen… Specialist Schnee… _Winter_ , th-the R &D team has _apparently_ run up against some… _snags_. The whole production needs to be evaluated before I can green light a weapons hot demonstration with a good concious.”

 

_That sounded good._

 

Winter Schnee's gaze continued to bore into General Glass’s very soul. She still had questions. “What kind of _snag_? I thought they assured us there would be no problems like last time.”

 

Glass shrugged nonchalantly, trying to look everywhere but directly at the specialist. “I’m not sure, Winter. Tech is not my wheelhouse… you know that jargon flies right over my head.” he tried a friendly chuckle, but it seemed forced even to him.

 

If Winter was seeing through any of Glass’s lies, she wasn’t letting it show on her face. “Perhaps something is going on down there, General. Should I put a team together and investigate?”

 

The General's eyes nearly exploded out of his head. That was a horrible idea if he ever heard one.  “NO! No...uhm, no. I think it’s quite alright Winter… I have a much more important assignment for you.”

 

Winter nodded her head curtly. “Of course, sir. What would you have me do?”

 

Glass began searching his desk for the correct file, it had arrived this morning and bared the mark of the Tracker’s Association, just looking at their emblem made his skin crawl. The General snapped his finger when he found the correct dossier and flipped it open and saw the piece of printer paper that was entirely blank save for a single command in the top left corner. “Deal with her.” it said plain as day.

 

The General brought the paper up to his face and pretended to read it over. ”Ah! Here we are. Specialist Schnee, this one comes right from the Atlas Council. It says: _you’re taking a vacation!_ ”

 

Winter cocked one of her eyebrows in confusion and mild annoyance. Glass knew how she felt about leave, but he was at the end of his rope when it came to good excuses. “Sir, you know I don’t-”

 

Glass interrupted the specialist. Playing up the part of the concerned superior. “ _Shhhh, shush._ Listen, everyone knows how hard you work, Winter… hell you probably work harder than _me!_ You're the _best_ damn soldier I got and you're gonna work yourself to an early grave at this pace. You need some _R &R. _”

 

The specialist was now looking at the ground, she looked a little peeved but thankfully not too suspicious. “Is that an order, _Sir?_ ”

 

The General leaned back in his chair. _Bingo._ “Yes it is. Now go, pack up your stuff, I don’t want to see you for _at least_ a month.” Winter made a face like she was about to protest but didn't say anything. “And if I find out you've been filing reports at home, I have you _court martialed_ , are we clear?”  

It was a joke and they both knew it, something to release some of the tension of the situation, which caused a small smile to form on Winter’s face. “Crystal, Sir. Schnee out.”

 

And in an instant the woman’s face disappeared from the screen. Glass let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and planted his head flat on his desk. He hated lying to his troops like this, especially Schnee, but his live and so much more was on the line.

 

It was days like this that made Glass wish he never became general. Ironwood was a harsh son of a bitch at times but he knew how to run a Kingdom. It was only through a series of deaths during the war, some shady bureaucracy, and a little bit of nepotism, that the stars aligned and Colonel Aaron Befleckt Glass became the General of Atlas.

 

He knew damn well there were several much, _much_ more qualified candidates for the job, but they were not as willing to play ball as he had been, so a lot of them were _gone_ now. All thanks to a certain squinty eyed someone.

 

Glass slammed his one of his fists on his desk, and he heard his cup from earlier roll off the desk and shatter on the hard tiled floor. _I’ll get someone to deal with that later. I need to take a nap… or something._

 

Just as he stood up, Glass’s scroll screen flickered to life displaying a caller ID he had become much too familiar with over these past years. He begrudgingly hit the answer icon.

 

 _Speak of the devil and he shall appear._ Jonquil Tracassin’s eerily serene face appeared on the monitor, he was filing his nails, seemingly without a care in the world. “Good Evening, Aaron… It is evening in Atlas, _right?_ ”

 

 _So nonchalant._ Glass ignored Jonquil’s question, he didn't have the patience for small talk. “What did you need, Tracassin? I was about to call it a night.”

 

Jonquil clicked his tongue as he continued filing away, not even looking at the General. “My, my, _what_ a temper, Aaron. Is that anyway to speak to an old friend?” the smile on the Tracker’s faced seemed grow even wider, even more insincere. “I called to ask about the Schnee situation, is she out of our hair?”

 

Glass reached into his desk drawer and retrieved a half empty bottle of vodka, uncapped it and took a swig, letting the burning sensation mask the high amounts of _stress_ that came from simply _looking_ at the man on the monitor, who was still filing his _damn_ nails. “Yes, I got her to go for at least a month of R&R. she shouldn't be an issue.”

 

Jonquil nodded his head in approval. “Good, good. She got sharp elbows, it’s _infuriating._ ” he huffed in disappointment and looked up wistfully. “She’s gonna have a _bad_ accident one day, I hope you understand that, Aaron.”

 

Glass took another swig of his vodka and he could feel his fists clenching on their own. “She’s a _good_ soldier, Jonquil. She deserves better than that.”

 

The Tracker fell quiet and stopped filing his nails, turning his head to finally look Glass dead in the eyes. ” _Good soldier_ , huh? Give me a break… I’ve seen people a thousand times better than her bite it for a thousand times less. At least she’ll be contributing something. A greater- _much_ greater good.”

 

Glass remained quiet and stared down at the papers that littered his desk. He heard Jonquil go back to filing his nails, not a care in the _damn_ world. He looked up at the Tracker. “ _Y’know…_ one day we're gonna get what’s coming to us… _you_ , _me_ , and all your little friends… we’re gonna _burn_ for this. We all get what we deserve, in the _very_ end.”

 

Jonquil chuckled and mumbled something under his breath, shaking his head lightly. “That’s just not true, Aaron. The weakest kind of person is one who lies to themselves. We get what _we_ get in this life, nothing more, and nothing less than what we make for _ourselves_.”

 

The General didn't have anything to say to this. He took a big gulp of vodka and then another.

 

The Tracker continued to file away. “ _Anyways_ ...things are progressing _very_ well over here on our end. I suspect everything will be complete in two months give or take, you should _see_ the progress since the last time you were in Vacuo! It's _remarkable!_ ”

 

Glass fought the urge to dry heave, he never wanted to even think about going to Vacuo again after what he saw. He drank some more vodka as memories of one of Jonquil’s little minion’s breaking that _poor woman’s_ femur began to invade his mind. _Gods I’ll never forget that snapping sound and then the screams._ Just the thought was enough to make him shudder. "I think i'll pass."

 

Jonquil placed his file down, apparently satisfied with the job he did as he inspected each nail. “you're simply _heartless_ , Aaron." the Tracker pulled up his sleeve and looked at his watch and clicked his tongue again. "I have a vivisection in five, so I'm afraid we're gonna have to cut this short... _oh_ and by the way, before I go. Could you tell the young Mr. Schnee that I need those cold forged EDT alloy plates while i'm still alive. _Thank you very much, ciao_.”

 

And in an instant Jonquil’s face dispersed and the monitor once again went dark. Glass slammed his head on his desk and decided to just stay there until morning.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Gen. Glass lol. i had a lot of fun writing this chapter. i find it's easier to write the oc characters because i feel like i have a better grasp on how they would think or act in certain situations idk.
> 
> i understand that Glass's situation is very similar to Professor Lionheart's from V5, but it will be going in a different direction. 
> 
> in case any of you are wondering, the one who broke the woman's femur was Marron-Gray, but why??? who knows??? 
> 
> dont forget to tell me what sucks and whats rad.
> 
> more to come.


	12. A Bad Feeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shabams, new chapter! what's good!? did you like it, did you hate it? idk you tell me
> 
> I don't own RWBY!
> 
> happy dang reading.

**Chapter 9: A Bad Feeling**

 

_To the esteemed members of the Vale Council._

 

_It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter on the behalf of the Tracker’s Association as your Kingdom has been a fervent supporter of our organization over the lustrum, a fact which we are highly grateful of. We here at the Association do are best to ensure the trust held between us and the Kingdoms is not being taken advantage of and that sometimes include having to “stamp out” any fabrications of potential corruption or skullduggery. We all have reputations to uphold._

 

_It has come to my attention that the Kingdom of Vale believes that the Association has been “covering up the disappearances of almost 95% of their agents and administrative staff.” which is simply untrue. I have personally seen the list of missing persons believed to be part of the Association and though we have discovered a small amount among those missing are some of our own, the vast majority have no records whatsoever in our database._

 

_Those who are on the list were all field agents, sent out on recovery missions of which they never returned, as much as you in the council might like to think we’re hiding something, the reality of these confirmed Association disappearances is that most likely they were tragically killed in the line of duty._

 

_As for the other missing persons, we have no answer, but we also don't understand what this has to do with the Association. If you wish for us to investigate, perhaps you could file a report, instead of pointing fingers._

 

_We hope you will recede your borderline slanderous accusations at the next gathering of the Councils or else we may have to begin investigating your entire administration. I personally believe that Vacuo and Atlas would take the Association’s side in this matter._

 

_Please. I urge you to think about what you're doing and how it reflects back on your Kingdom as a whole._

 

_Kind Regards,_

_Jonquil Tracassin Esq._

_Assistant Chairman._

 

* * *

 

A day or so of riding on a snowmobile and Weiss and Ruby had arrived in Heimstätte. Qrow and Taiyang had accompanied them for most of the journey but eventually made their separate ways, a dense forest acted as a divider between Heimstätte and Waldstadt.

 

The settlement itself was larger than Fischerdorf, but not by much, the town was quite a ways further north than rest of the settlements and one would think that it wouldn’t make that much of a difference in temperature but apparently that was not the case as it was absolutely _freezing!_ even surprising Weiss herself at how cold it was. _It’s the middle of Spring for Dust sake!_

 

Both she and Ruby had gotten proper winter attire from Oscar’s strange collection, Weiss had decided on grey peacoat, accompanied by some insulated pants, boots, and a rather nice burgundy scarf to tie the look together. Ruby, on the other hand, had picked an absolutely _horrendous_ looking red sweater, which she(thankfully) covered with a black waxed jacket, which she then draped her cloak over, it wasn't a masterpiece of fashion, but it was Ruby, so she managed to make it look cute.

 

While reminiscing about temperature and her girlfriend’s dressing habits, Weiss noticed how abandoned Heimstätte looked. _where is everyone?_

 

Ruby had apparently noticed as well. “Nobody seems to be about. Maybe we should check out that Inn?” Ruby gestured to a building marked _Summer's Kiss: Bed and Board_ her guard was up, Weiss could tell immediately, this was very suspicious.

 

The former heiress nodded to her partner and they quietly approached the inn, the winds had picked up and it began snowing, as if to punctuate the tension in the air. They reached the frost covered door of _Summer's Kiss_ , Weiss took point at the door, Myrtenaster at the ready, she jimmied one of the knobs and it was unlocked. She turned to Ruby, who had Crescent Rose ready and gave a thumbs up.

 

When Ruby returned the gesture Weiss flung the door open aggressively, and quickly scanned her surroundings before hearing a high pitched screech followed by the sound of someone falling over. A woman who had been cleaning the establishment's floors had been startled by the huntresses and then took a tumble to the floor.

 

The two immediately sheathed their weapons and rushed to the fallen woman and helped her up, Ruby rambling all the way. “ _Ohmygod_ , we’re _so_ sorry, we thought it was suspicious that the town looked so empty, so we were just being cautious, we didn't mean to scare you!”

 

Once the woman was on her feet she accepted Ruby’s many apologies, making her way to the inn’s bar. “It’s… quite alright. I assure you i'm fine, you two were right to be suspicious of this place, Heimstätte has become a dangerous place as of _very_ recently.”

 

The redhead tilted her head in curiosity. “ _Dangerous?_ What’s happened, maybe we can help? I'm Ruby Rose and this is Weiss Schnee, we’re _Huntresses!_ ”

 

The slender woman’s light green eyes narrowed when Ruby said “Schnee” and she turned to look at Weiss. “You're a Schnee, huh? What brings you all the way down here? Dust deposits been used up for years now.”

 

Weiss sighed inwardly. “I may carry the Schnee name, but I no longer associate myself with Schnee Dust Corporation and it’s CEO Whitley Schnee, there is no need for animosity between us.” she spoke clear and concisely almost like the preceding statement was part of some contract she signed, which wasn’t really far from the truth.

 

The innkeeper was silent for a moment and then shrugged. “Eh, works for me, i'm Ensoleillé Kartause, but everyone just calls me Sunny. Now how about I fix up some cider and we can talk about what's been going on?”

 

One mug of warm cider later and the three women were conversing about the strange going ons in Heimstätte.

 

Sunny began her story, voice was calm but Weiss could see the way her eyes darted around nervously. “It all started yesterday morning, when a whole pack of Beowolves just appeared outside of the town’s borders completely surrounding it! They stood there all day and didn’t move an inch! Nobody was brave enough to leave their homes. When nightfall came, they disappeared and some folk left on the spot… I was about to myself, but that’s when the singing began.”

 

Ruby’s face scrunched in confusion and she leaned in closer to the bar, had she heard that right? “Did you say… _singing?_ ”

 

Sunny continued on, her voice much less calm now. “ _Aye_ , singing. It was the lullaby, _Wiegenlied_ , every child in Atlas has heard it growing up. It persisted all night, so loud and deep, I couldn’t sleep at all!” She let out a shuddering breath. ”it only the stopped once day broke and it been uneasily quiet until you two showed up.” Weiss could see the fear in Sunny’s shimmering green eyes as she tugged at her dirty blonde hair.

 

The former heiress, in all her years of living, she had never heard of Grimm acting so strange before, this town had to be overflowing with negative emotions, they should be swarming this place, not to mention the singing, which implicated a human element and the only person she knew had the ability to control Grimm was long dead.

 

Weiss turned to her partner and the two shared worried glances. They may have been compromised.

 

As if to punctuate that silent statement, the wind outside began howling, it was only midday but the sky was beginning to darken.

 

Sunny cleared her throat. “So, will you guys help protect us from whatever's out there? We don't have much in terms of compensation but, I'm sure everyone that stayed could rustle something up.”

 

Ruby steeled herself, and gave Sunny her best reassuring smile. “of course we'll help! Some Beowolves and a weird singing guy are no match for us! Don't worry yourself one bit!”

 

The redhead fished her scroll out from her pocket, turned to Weiss and whispered. “I’m gonna try contacting the others and tell them to keep their eyes open.” and then made for the outside.

         

Ruby was surprised her scroll still worked in this part of Solitas although the reception was a bit iffy, the weather probably didn't help. She tried to call Yang and Blake first, but the call wouldn't go through, same for when she tried to reach Oscar, she only made progress when she called her Uncle.

 

“–eah?” And even then the quality was very poor. “What is it pipsqueak?”

 

Ruby tried to be quick and concise like Weiss. “Me and Weiss have just arrived in Heimstätte and we have received reports of some really strange Grimm activity...Uhm possibly being aided by a person? It's not really clear.”

 

Ruby heard the buzz of digital white noise mixed with the distant mumbling of her uncle and her father. “Ok roger that, Ruby, we'll stay on guard and let you know if we see anything. Qrow out.”

 

 _Wow he’s really in mission mode._ The thought crossed her mind as she went to re-enter the inn.

 

* * *

 

After a bit of coercion Yang begrudgingly recounted her fight with Noire and how he broke her prosthetic, desperately trying to keep her fury in check along the way.

 

“Woah those guys sound like bad news.” Jorah spoke, it was obvious that she was romanticizing the idea of two Hunters duking it out. “I wish could've seen you two fight though!”

 

Yang could feel Blake rolling her eyes, as she spoke to the excited blacksmith. “No. You really don't, Agent Kühlen set half of Patch on fire, he was insane, he could have easily hurt a lot of people. In fact we don’t even know if he did or not.”

 

Jorah blew off Blake's comment with a dismissive hand gesture. “ _Eeeh_ , you guys are no fun, Fischerdorf is the most boring place on all of Remnant, you have no idea what I'd do for a little excitement around here! It’s been forever since your buddy absolutely _annihilated_ some Grimm!”

 

Yang and Blake both shared a tired look. This kid was too much.

 

“ _Whatever_. Anyway, you held up your end of the bargain and I'll hold up mine. ”Jorah preceded to open the wooden box she had brought to the table and retrieve the new prosthetic within.

 

This new arm was the exact same size as, Yang's previous arm, although it was much _much_ cooler looking. The arm was a sleek black with accents of gold that shone like it was made from polished glass. Built into the wrist and forearm was some sort of mechanism that reminded her of Ember Celica, it was perfect, almost _too_ perfect.

 

Jorah began to speak of the merits of this new arm. “ _Now_ , this beauty here is re-purposed Atlesian Knight-480 right arm, with completely reworked outerplating, forged by yours truly, with an extremely lightweight Steel-Earth Dust alloy, so hard, so dense that most weapons not being strengthened by aura, would completely shatter before they managed to _even_ scratch it.”

 

Blake tried to say “ _woah._ ” but Jorah cut her off, continuing her spiel. “ _And_ I'm sure you've noticed the built in wrist mounted shotgun, made from a repurposed 12 gauge Atlesian Riot Shotgun, already preloaded with my special recipe _Dragon's Breath_ shells, capable of reducing a fully matured Beowolf into a burning pile of goo, with _one_ shot.”

 

Both huntresses were speechless and Jorah did a mock curtsy.

 

Blake was the first to speak. “Are–uhm, are you sure we don't need to pay for this? This seems like a lot of very expensive work to just give away.”

 

Yang nodded her head in agreement with Blake, still enraptured by the sleek beauty of the arm. _Man. if Ruby were here she'd have a heart attack!_

 

Jorah giggled. “ _Well,_ actually. This arm was _already_ paid for. Your friend in the cabin had me make this months ago, he told me to keep it in the shop until a blonde with lilac eyes came to pick it up, I was actually beginning to think you'd never show up.” she shrugged nonchalantly. “I thought I’d have a little fun with you first, though.”

 

The young smith slid the box towards Yang and gave her an expectant look. “ _Well?_ Try it on! We gotta make sure it’s a calibrated and junk!”

 

* * *

 

Yang couldn’t stop admiring her new prosthetic even as she and Blake said their thank yous and goodbyes to Jorah and head back out into Fischerdorf. The new arm was a _perfect_ fit and calibrated itself with her nervous system and aura with extreme ease, it somehow felt _smoother_ than her previous prosthetic and more responsive, but she wasn't if that part was just in her head.

 

Blake noticed how much this new prosthetic had improved her partner’s mood and smiled. Yang had had a rough couple of days and she definitely needed this. _We’ll have to thank Oscar...and then ask him why he would have someone build Yang a new arm in the first place. Was bringing us in always part of the plan?_

 

An unfamiliar hand lightly grabbed Blake’s shoulder, shaking her from her inner thoughts, she turned to see Yang smile at her bright enough to blind someone. “Whatcha thinkin’ about, Blakey? You almost walked right past our snowmobile.”

 

The raven haired woman smiled back at her partner, and decided to share some of her internal thinking. “Sorry, Yang. I was just thinking: why would Oscar commission _you_ a new arm?”

 

Yang placed her hands on her hips and frowned slightly. Apparently that fact had slipped her mind in her excitement. “... That’s a good question, Blakey. Maybe we should ask him? I mean before we head off to _Icehouse_ or whatever.”

 

Blake nodded in agreement, Oscar was acting suspicious _again._ It was almost like withholding information was his semblance or _something_. “I think that may be a good idea, Yang. Let’s go.”

 

It wasn’t that far of a walk from the snowmobile to Oscars cabin, Blake knocked lightly at the door but there was no answer. She went knock a little harder but Yang stopped her, a cheeky grin plastered on her face as she began banging on the door with her new prosthetic. “Hey _Oscar_ , open up! We gotta talk!”

 

A muffled. “ _One moment, please!_ ” echoed from the other side of the door, followed by the sound of several locks being unlocked. _Deja vu._

 

The door opened slowly revealing a slightly confused looking Oscar. He tilted his head and gestured to the two women in front of him. “Miss Belladonna, Miss Xiao Long, what can I do for you?” his hazel eyes darted downward and a smile painted itself on his face. “I see you visited the Blacksmith, _very_ skilled young woman. I hope the new appendage is to your liking.”

 

Yang smiled in turn and put he hands on her hips. “Yeah it’s amazing, we just came by...to-uhm, _thank_ you for having it made.”

 

A light blush dusted Oscar’s tanned face and he began rubbing the back of neck, he was _embarrassed?_ He chuckled nervously and it reminded the two Huntresses of the Oscar during the war. “Oh...well you're very much welcome, would you like to come inside for a moment? I assume you have some questions.”

 

Oscar turned and the two followed him into the cabin and back into it’s living room which was now a clutter with papers of all sorts, a closed laptop was on the coffee table, along with _two_ empty coffee pots, Blake could make out some the writing on the papers, most seeming like Tracker mission reports, and arrest warrants for names she didn’t recognize. “Sorry about the mess, please have at seat and... _ask away_.”

 

The two sat back down on the couch while Oscar took a seat on a musty looking leather recliner that hadn’t been there, during the debrief. Yang wanted to cut right to the chase, not waste any time. “Why did you have Jorah make me a new arm?”

 

Oscar seemed to squirm in his seat a bit, he looked away from his guests for a moment. “I didn’t know that that your old one was going to be destroyed, if that’s what you're wondering. It is...much simpler than that. It was-” he struggled to find the correct words for a moment. “An apology gift.”

 

That was definitely not the answer neither Yang nor Blake had expected.the blonde lean forward from her spot on the couch and looked at Oscar inquisitively. “ _An apology?_ For what? You didn't do anything to me.”

 

The young man shook his head. “It was _always_ my intention to try and bring Team RWBY into this mess, you are some of the _finest_ warriors in Remnant and I knew I could count on you, but you had already been through so much, it didn’t feel fair. So I was going to give you all some sort of gift, as a kind of payment.” he looked up at Yang. “However things started to move _much_ quicker than originally planned and I only had Miss Xiao Long’s gift finished and as a matter of fact, I didn’t even get to think about anyone else’s gift.”

 

The two Huntresses remained silent for a moment, before sharing a look and bursting into a fit of laughter. Oscar was very confused by this, he didn’t know how they were going to respond but he certainly didn't expect... _laughter._

 

After a moment or two the laughter died down. Blake sat up from the couch, she smiled. “Oscar, although it was a very kind thought, I don’t think that you really needed to _bribe_ us in order to get our help.”

 

Yang shot up from the couch as well. ”Yeah, dude. Those Tracker bastards were gonna come looking for us anyway. This was our fight from the beginning!” she slammed her two fist together and gave Oscar a confident smirk.

 

The young man forced a smile of his own, these friends of his, they meant well, all of them...but they would never truly understand. _This fight is mine and mine alone._

 

* * *

 

Mechanical eyes focused and then they focused _once_ more. _Now_ a clear image could be made out. One Schnee and one Silver-Eyed girl. _Delicious, simply divine._ The wind was _howling_ like some kind of wild beast even with his advance haring he could not make out what the two were saying to one another. Considering how tightly Silver-Eyes clung to her Schnee’s arm, he assumed it was something good.

 

The mechanical joints loosely holding the heft of his _tightened_ with a light click. How long had he waited for this moment? _ten years? Twenty years? Thirty?_ He simply had no idea. If all went according to _their_ plan Silver-Eyes and her pet would be in binds by the end of the night. Exhausted by a Karnonos and scooped up by shadows and shipped off to Vacuo. _But_ if all went according to _his_ plan, he would be killed gloriously and bloodily by _four_ Hunter’s in Waldstadt. All he needed to do was lure the two Huntresses from their post.

 

_They seem like an emotional bunch. I've got just the ticket. They just need to take the bait. Bosch will certainly understand._

 

He ran a mechanical finger along the blade of his axe, a ritual he’d been doing for as long as he could remember. Back when he had both his hands, the _pain_ and the _blood_ were signs that he was alive, that he had a soul. He would run the blade anywhere, _anywhere_ to make a cut, to feel the pain, to feel _anything_. But now all these years later he was all metal and no flesh, lifeless, soulless.

  
Maybe tonight _would_ really be the night. He hoped. He prayed. _Jonquil’s plans be damned._

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bonus points to anyone who can guess what that beginning part is a reference to.


	13. Dance of The Karnonos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did someone say, "new chapter!" yes. it was me. enjoy it yall etc etc.
> 
> I don't own jack or RWBY either.
> 
> Warning: this chapter contains some mild sexual content, nothing really major and some gore as well...read at your own discretion

 

**Chapter 10: Dance of The Karnonos**

Night came much too quickly in Heimstätte and two the Huntresses assigned to watch over it felt very _uneasy_ ...nothing had happened, at least not yet, Weiss and Ruby had been making rounds around the entire settlement for a couple of hours now, occasionally stopping by Sunny's to warm up a bit and _occasionally_ stopping to try and contact the Y and B of team RWBY, still to no avail.

The weather was not improving either, the wind had picked up even more and it was beginning to snow more and more fiercely, Weiss didn’t like any of this one _bit_ , her eyes kept scouting the rooftops and the forest the divided Heimstätte and Waldstadt, but she saw nothing concrete enough to cause alarm. The only positive of any of this was just how _closely_ Ruby was snuggled up to the former heiress, it was so _adorable_ it made a warmth spread through her chest...and then slowly down between her legs, Weiss felt like she could just _eat her girlfriend up_ right now, a desire which she was trying to quell at the present moment, since they _were_ on a mission after all.

For most of their patrolling the two had remained in a comfortable silence, only really exchanging small talk with Sunny, who was quickly becoming more anxious. They had tried going door to door to reassure any remaining inhabitants that they were safe, but as Sunny had said earlier, most homes were abandoned and the few inhabitants that were left were too afraid to interact in any way it was _strange_.

_strange..._

Weiss looked down at her partner and bit her lip. _Gods, she looks so cute...but she looks kinda out of it, too? Maybe she's tired? Maybe we could go back to Summer’s Kiss for some alone time?_

The former heiress had to mentally slap herself before her rouge thoughts got her in trouble, she turned her gaze back onto her _miserable_ looking partner. _Was my mind really so deep in the gutter that I didn’t notice!? What has gotten into me!?_

She stopped walking and Ruby seemed to be much too out of it to notice, since she kept walking until she was lightly tugging on her partner's arm. She stopped and turned to Weiss and tilted her head in confusion. “Uhm...why are we stopping, Weiss?”

Weiss took one of Ruby’s gloved hands in her own, a gesture of reassurance. The redhead never muched like being a burden, so she would often hide or try and cover up whenever she was hurt, both emotionally and physically, a fact that annoyed the former heiress as much as it broke her heart. “Are you alright, Ruby? You've been terribly quiet this whole time...is something bothering you? Are you feeling under the weather?” she took one of her gloves and placed it to Ruby’s forehead, checking for a fever.

The redhead giggled tiredly and playfully batted away her girlfriend's hand. “No, I’m not _sick_ , Weiss. Gah- what are you, my _dad?_ ” she started giggling again, although this time it sounded a little forced.

Weiss felt blood rush to her cheeks at the sudden intrusive thought of Ruby calling her “ _Daddy._ ” and she had look away from her girlfriend, embarrassed. _Dust that would be really hot- what am I talking about!? What is going on, brain!? Pull yourself together!_

Ruby apparently didn’t notice Weiss’s internal struggle as she returned to her blank, miserable expression from earlier. The former heiress lightly grabbed her partner by the shoulders and continued her prying, she knew that her girlfriend was hiding something from her. _What has gotten in to everybody?_ “Ruby, sweetie, tell me what’s the matter, it obviously has you stressed, _whatever_ it is.”

She didn’t give, turning slightly to avoid her girlfriend’s concerned gaze. “It’s dumb, you'll think i'm _dumb_...” she folded her arms like a pouty child.

Weiss rolled her eyes and pressed a light kiss on her partner’s lips and brought her ungloved hand back up to cup her cheek. Lighting shot throughout Weiss’s body and she had to use every ounce of restraint she had to not plunge her tongue into the younger woman’s mouth. She ended the kiss quickly, for her own sake more than anything, and gave Ruby the most loving smile she could muster. “ _Ruby Rose_ … I promise you, _whatever_ you say, I won't think its dumb. Cross my heart and hope to die.”  

Ruby took moment to just stare into Weiss’s eyes, over these past five years she had really grown, she still had the air of childlike innocence but now it was a...mature   nodded, seemingly convinced to share the her girlfriend now. She took a deep breath. “Uncle Qrow told me a _weird_ story during our ride on the airship and it’s _kinda_ got me freaked out.”

She waited for Weiss to laugh at her,  to her surprise her partner made no noise, instead she pulled her into a light hug, rubbing her back in reassuring circles. “Why does it have you freaked out, Ruby.”

Ruby smiled, she didn’t know why she felt so emotional right now, but she was glad Weiss was so understanding and patient. She looked at the ground for a moment, trying to find the right place to start and took a deep breath. “It was about a kid, who’s family is killed by a... _really_ strange type of Grimm. At first he’s sad...but then he gets _angry_ , and he turns that anger into strength, which he uses to hunt all the strange Grimm to extinction”

Weiss’s face scrunched in confusion, she had never heard of a story like that before. _Hunting Grimm into extinction? That’s impossible._ “How does that freak you out, Ruby?” If the story had _this_ much of an effect on her partner, she was going to have a few choice words with a certain _drunkard._

Ruby took another steadying breath. She could feel her heartbeat rising, some kind of panic was settling over her, embedding itself underneath her skin and enveloping her nerves in frost,  however, ironic as it may seem, Weiss’s caring ice blue eyes were doing a great job at keeping her calm. “H-have you ever heard of a... _Hellion?_ ”

_Hellion?_ The name sounded vaguely familiar to the former heiress, she cast her memories back to their days in Haven, before the war had truly started, she remembered studying in the academy’s impressive library and a particularly large and dusty tome she had found buried deep within. _The Encyclopædiæ Torvous, by_ _Hamnet Bosch. A collection of every species and subspecies of Grimm along with any and all details about them. In the myths and falsehoods section…the Hellion._ Weiss nodded her head at the memory. ” _Yes_ , I have, Ruby. I remember reading about them, back at Haven.”

Ruby seemed a little surprised by this, but then again this was Weiss she was talking to, she knew _everything_ . “ _Really?_ Then you how they can _talk_ and how they-” she was cut off by her partner gently placing her finger over her mouth.

Weiss smiled inwardly, her dolt was still a dolt. She brought her finger back from her partner’s lips and cupped her face again. “I also know that they were _never_ real, Ruby. they were combination of hearsay and misinformation, like that story your uncle told. I can assure you they are nothing to worry yourself over.” hopefully now Ruby could return back to her normal _cute_ self and not look _so_ glum.

Except she _didn’t_ calm down, instead her silver eyes, widen in worry and she began shaking her head. “No, no, _no_ . Weiss, they're the _real deal_ . The story, the myth, _whatever._ Someone didn’t just come up with it, _Oscar_ did a _long_ time ago. They were _real_ and what if all this _weird_ Grimm behavior and the singing Sunny told us about… what if it’s a _Hellion?_ ” Ruby was beginning to hyperventilate, she hugged her shoulders and began to curl in on herself.

Weiss was about to recommend another rest stop at the inn to take a breather and try to calm down when she was interrupted by the sharp klaxon of Ruby's scroll going off. The redhead snapped out her panic and _fast,_ like someone had poured a bucket of ice water on her head. She answered quickly and Weiss could only make out her side of the conversation. “Hello? _Uncle Qrow?_ _What!?_ A-are you ok!? Ok _ok,_ I'm– I’ll be there soon!”

Weiss had questions immediately. _This Isn't good, I can just tell already._ “Is something happening in Waldstadt, Ruby?”

Ruby had a different kind of panic plastered on her face now, it was almost _frantic_ and she spoke much quicker than usual, voice laced with anxiety. “Yeah! Grimm are swarming it! Uncle Qrow and Dad are completely _outnumbered!_ They need backup...so I'll go, but I think you should stay here...just in case.”

The former heiress _hated_ the sound of that plan, it was a bad idea to _split up_ now at all times, just hearing her partner say those two words made her tense with _frustration_ . “ _Ruby Rose_ , you absolute _dolt!_ I _will_ not let you go galavanting off into the woods by yourself, just so you can go play hero! We cannot let _this_ settlement become compromised! We have to stay put... _I'm sorry_ but I know your uncle and father can handle themselves.”

Ruby made a face like she'd been slapped. Her silver eyes turned from panicked, to hurt, to _angry_ , like the snap of one’s fingers. “ _Weiss!?_ Are you _serious_ !? I'm not just gonna sit here and let Grimm rip my _family_ to pieces!”

Weiss was starting to lose her temper, it was like her partner had a _death wish_ , she was so _goddam_ willing to endanger herself on the behalf of others. “We're _not_ just sitting here, we're guarding this place! That's _our_ mission, you idiot!”

Ruby bit her lip in frustration and gave Weiss an angry glare, how could she be this _cold!?_ This was _her_ family they were talking about and even if they were strangers, you just don’t ignore people who _need_ help! “I'm sorry, Weiss but I'm going... they're in trouble and I _have_ to help them!”

Before Weiss could even formulate a response, her partner was gone, leaving only a trail of rose petals in her wake.

She was _furious_ . _No._ She was _beyond_ furious. _How dare she!? Just up and abandoning me like that? We have a mission to uphold and I'm the only one who apparently knows how to follow instructions!? I could just kill that dolt right now!_

Her mind was _swimming_ with all sorts of emotion, mostly anger that was only growing in intensity, the kind of anger that made your whole body tremble, Weiss thought she was going to pop a blood vessel when suddenly, it just _stopped._ The former heiress clenched her fists and took a series of deep breaths, she was still _very_ angry with Ruby, but she knew her anger from seconds ago was... _abnormal._ _Something is definitely going on here, I need to get to Waldstadt. before-_

**_*ROARHHHHHHHH*_ **

_Uh oh._ Was the Huntress’s first thought as she heard an unfamiliar howl, this was most certainly bad. She quickly scanned the horizon until he laid her eyes on the beast a dozen meters behind her, it had stepped out from the forest treeline and was now barreling towards, it's thick layers of bone plating almost acting as camouflage in the horrendous blizzard.

It's gigantic antlers surged, pale yellow with energy and a massive gust of wind blasted the Huntress back before she could even thinking about casting a glyph. She tumbled as she tried to regain her footing, even in boots it was hard to get a grip on the icy ground.

She drew Myrtenaster and primed her Burn Dust chamber, with the Grimm now closer, she could evaluate what type it was. A _quadruped, Dust conducting antlers, excessive, overlapping outer shelling… it’s a Karnonos!? I remember reading about them at Haven in the same book as the Hellion._

The Karnonos let out another guttural roar and charged toward Weiss at breakneck speeds, kicking up snow and dirt in its wake. It’s red eyes burning with intense animalistic rage.

Weiss sent a blast of flame its way, but it countered with another surge of wind Dust which completely dispersed them, she tried to distance herself from the Grimm but it was faster than it looked, it charged at her once again, trying to skewer her on it's glowing antlers.

Weiss flicked her wrist and primed her Gravity Dust chamber and cast a glyph at the Grimm’s feet, esstially anchoring it to that spot, for a moment. The Karnonos was distracted as it fought against the force of the glyph, in that moment Weiss switched to Bolt Dust and blasted the nape of the Grimm’s neck with arc of electricity.

The Karnonos let out another furious roar, but the blast of electricity seemed to be actually doing very little to the slow it down, it's armor plating was much too thick and diffused most of the shock, it only served to anger the Grimm more. It reeled back it's head and launched more bursts of air at Weiss she managed to use another gravity glyph to stop herself from being blasted backward. _Dust! this thing is tough! Myrtenaster isn't strong enough to puncture that armor! I need to summon my knight, I need to get some distance first._

Deciding to give the Karnonos a taste of its own medicine, she primed her Wind Dust and used her whole cartridge to fire a vortex that blew the beast’s legs out from under it. The Grimm let out a bestial cry as it fell into the snow and Weiss quickly cast _four_ gravity glyphs to keep it pinned down while she summoned her knight.

She conjured up a large amount of her aura in order to create the summoning glyph. Summoning itself was an exhaustive process that required a high amount of focus on what she was doing, and aura as well, she knew it was foolish to rely solely on such a tactic, but she was in dire straits at the moment, she had no other choice. It was because of her intense focus that Weiss didn’t notice her glyphs were losing their strength, to the point that the Karnonos was able to wriggle itself free and send another blast of super compressed air the huntress’s way.

The blast knocked Myrtenaster from the surprised woman’s hand and sent flying into the town square of Heimstätte. She fell _hard_ on her back and felt her breath get ripped from her lungs, it was enough to make her see stars. She could hear the sound of the Karnonos getting closer and she struggled to catch her breath and reorient herself, her incomplete summon had sent her aura haywire. _Ruby Rose, this is all your fault! after I kill this thing you are so in the doghou-!?_

**_*CRUNCH*_ **

Weiss’s inner dialogue was forcefully interrupted by a sickening noise followed by the _worst_ pain she had felt in a _very_ long time, once again she felt her breath being torn from her lungs, as tears began to prick at her eyes and bile threatened to bubble up from her stomach.

The huntress turned her to the left, to the source of this _searing_ pain and saw the front hoof of the Karnonos crushing her hand, she could still hear bones cracking and crunching under it’s sheer weight, Weiss looked up at the Karnonos, who seemed to enjoy torturing its prey and she let out a shriek of pain that quickly morphed into a shriek of anger.

Her aura flared to life, creating a summoning glyph with it and in an instant. Her knight materialized in a flash of light blue and swung it’s sword with enough speed to catch the Grimm off guard and with enough force to shatter the armor of the Grimm’s abdomen and send it falling to the ground, completely exposed and wailing in pain.

Weiss turned to her knight and gritted out bitterly.

“ _End it._ ”

The construct flipped it sword downward and swiftly plunged it into the exposed side of the Grimm, it let out an ungodly death rattle as the knight twisted the blade and pulled it out, and with a flick of her wrist it began to dissipate along with the Karnonos.

Weiss slowly stood up from the snow and looked at her broken left hand, all the fingers looked broken, they were bent and twisted at unnatural angles, there were tears in the skin that were freely bleeding, waves of intense pain emanated off of the hand, almost unbearably so, what remained of her aura was doing it’s best to heal it, but that only did so much, she needed to get to a doctor or _something_ , but more importantly she needed _Myrtenaster_ in case anymore Grimm showed up.

Weiss scanned the town square but couldn't see the weapon anywhere, the blizzard still raged all around her, she was starting to feel light headed, she took a step and her legs immediately buckled and she fell back onto the snowy ground. Everything around her seemed so quiet, except for a strange dull _humming_ , a sound she assumed was in her head, but worryingly it appeared to be growing in volume. She gasped when she realised it was _singing_ and not humming.

_“_ _Guten Abend, gute Nacht,_

_mit Rosen bedacht,_

_mit Näglein besteckt,_

_schlupf′ unter die Deck!_

_Morgen früh, wenn Gott will,_

_wirst du wieder geweckt._

_Guten Abend, gute Nacht,_

_von Englein bewacht,_

_die zeigen im Traum_

_dir Christkindleins Baum._

_Schlaf nun selig und süß,_

_schau im Traum's Paradies.”_                  

 

_Wiegenlied!? The singing Sunny mentioned! Damn it! I don’t have enough aura for this, Ruby how could you do this to me?_

Weiss was beginning to feel actual fear, true fear, a primal fear, born from the instincts of her oldest ancestors and this fear was telling her to flee for her life. The snow behind her crunched under heavy footsteps, heavier than the Karnonos and she refused to turn around. She _couldn't_ move.

Something was right behind her and she could hear it breathing, and it most certainly was not _human_ . “ _Guten Abend_ , Fräulein Schnee. I believe I have something of yours.” a deep, rich, _sophisticated_ voice spoke from just outside her peripheral. The huntress swallowed the nervous lump forming in her throat and slowly turned her head.

A Grimm in the shape of a disturbingly lanky man stood before her, it’s furry body wrapped in thick brown cloak, two pale _bull-like_ horns protruding from a hood that obscured its face. It held Myrtenaster in one of it's clawed hands, seemingly admiring the blade. “A lovely contraption, Fräulein. _Fine_ craftsmanship...shame that something so _beautiful_ , is used for something so _ugly_.” the Grimm placed the blade gently at Weiss’s feet.

Weiss was stunned silent, her fear partly replaced with utter confusion, what could this thing want? Was this even real? She shook her head to regain some focus, gathered her courage and spoke. “W-what are _you?_ ”

The Grimm tilted it’s head quizzically and crouched down, putting itself _face-to-face_ with the former heiress, she could see it's burning blood red eyes, not filled with hate or anger, but instead _curiosity_ . It’s face was much like that of a man but more _beast_ like. “Not _what_ . _Who_ . My name is _Bosch_ , little snowflake... _enchanté._ This “ _Bosch_ ” made an elaborate bowing gesture and Weiss was starting to think the pain from her hand was making her hallucinate. “I saw your scuffle with the Karnonos, and I must say you fight most gracefully, almost like a dancer!”

The dots quickly connected themselves in her head, a man like Grimm that _spoke_ and _thought_ , Ruby was right, this was a _Hellion_ . Weiss was utterly at a loss, she had so many questions, how had this thing survived so long on it’s own? How had it survived a hunt led by _Oscar_ in one of his past lives? Most importantly, what was it doing _here?_ “You're a...H-hellion, _how?_ ” was all she managed to gasp out.

Bosch clapped his hands and chuckled heartily, his eyes lighting up with mirth, an extremely bizarre display. ” _Correction_ , I am the last _Hellion_ , we are extinct, _Fräulein_. In fact according to most, we never even existed. A sad tale really.” the Grimm spoke as though it was engaging in simply conversation with a friendly acquaintance.   

Weiss grit her teeth as she reached for Myrtenaster and stood back up, putting the tiniest amount of pressure on her hand was enough to make her see stars once once again. “Wha-what do you...want from me, _Hellion._ ” she assumed the best combat stance she could with her offhand. Now that she saw the monster, the _Hellion_ before her she wasn’t afraid anymore. She was done talking.

Bosch chuckled again, almost sadly at this time, at Weiss’s display and he waved his hand dismissively. “I have no qualms with you, Fräulein...not _yet_ anyway, you simply stand on the wrong side of history, it’s not your fault... _she_ will humble you soon enough.”

The Huntress could barely process what was being said to her, as all her brain capacity was being used up desperately trying to stop herself from passing out. She made a step towards the Grimm and her legs immediately buckled. She fell to the ground once again, black spots dancing in her eyes.

Bosch continued on as Weiss struggled to stand again. “You've already lost, rest, little snowflake, the Summer Maiden now belongs to the future.”

That got her attention.

Weiss looked up at the Grimm before her with pure disdain, and spat at him, before speaking with as much venom as she could muster. “ _Fuck_ . _You_. Ruby will-”

Bosch interrupted her quickly, his previously cool composure, somewhat lost. “ _Will_ not be coming back, she ran head first into a trap, you see, an overzealous colleague of mine’s doing. Your _Silberaugen_ is not coming back...she too, now belongs to the future, along with the rest.”

_Ruby fell into a trap!? That idiot! I knew it!_ Weiss used all of her remaining strength to stand herself back up as her mind ran amok, if anyone, _anyone_ , hurt _her_ Ruby they wouldn't even live to regret it!   

More dark splotches danced around her eyes as she lunged at the strange Grimm and then…

_Complete darkness._

When the former heiress finally awoke she was inside the _Summer's Kiss,_ her hand was shoddily bandaged up and Sunny was nowhere to be found.

_  
She scrambled to her feat as quickly as she could and reached for her Myrtenaster which was still by her side. Her body was still weak from exhaustion and her hand still hurt like there was no tomorrow, but that _didn't_ matter, she needed to get to Waldstadt. _Now._ _

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man, sucks to be Weiss. she was so discombobulated she didn't even realize she was talking to a celebrity, who knew Grimm could be authors 
> 
> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> I hope Ruby's at least having a better time...


	14. Bogeymen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> o shit im not dead, wus good?
> 
> sorry about my absence and whatever, life has been a lot more hectic and fiery recently 
> 
> so here's a new dang chapter.
> 
> i don't own shits

**Chapter 11: Bogeymen**

  


_Before Weiss could even formulate a response her partner was gone, leaving only a trail of rose petals in her wake._

 

Ruby couldn’t help but feel guilty for abandoning Weiss, but she needed to help her uncle and father! Heimstätte wasn’t in immediate danger, what kind of Huntress would she be if she just stood around and did nothing while others were in trouble!?

 

It only took her a few minutes to speed through the forest that separated the two settlements, and as soon as she was past the treeline Ruby could see Waldstadt surround by Grimm and hear the sounds of her father and uncle fighting, _shotgun blasts and controlled explosions, center of town. Bingo._

 

Ruby sped her way towards the sounds of fighting, reducing passing Grimm into tiny pieces all along the way and in only a few seconds Ruby was before her father and uncle, the two were making quick work of the almost endless stream of Ursai and Beowolves.

 

Her uncle noticed her sudden arrival first. “About time, Pipsqueak! We're completely surrounded and we don't know where our Maiden is!” Qrow punctuated his statement with a wide swing of  his sword, decapitating an approaching Ursa.

 

Taiyang used his semblance to blast back a group of charging Beowolves and setting them ablaze at the same time. He looked around quizzically. “Where's Weiss, is she not with you?”

 

Ruby twirled Crescent Rose and cut a swathe through several more Grimm. She swallowed a nervous lump in throat and the terrible feeling that came with it. “She's still in in Heimstätte...I had to leave her behind. To protect our Maiden.”

 

The two men nodded in understanding but remained silent, focusing completely on fighting the onslaught of Grimm that were still pouring into the town. The snow began to fall even harder and the winds were growing even harsher.

 

Qrow steeled himself to the best of his ability, his nerves seemed to be getting the better of him, even as he cleaved effortlessly through Grimm after Grimm, he couldn't ignore the ball of anxiety forming in the pit of his stomach. Something was _very_ wrong

 

Taiyang fists smashed through these Beowolves and Ursai with same force some would expect from a shotgun, he could feel himself getting angrier and _angrier_ with each strike he landed, he was beginning to lose his focus, he was _furious_ ...but _why?_

 

With every slash of her scythe Ruby grew only more unsure, more terrified, ever since she left Heimstätte she could feel her conscious nagging at her. Her speed was decreasing and her footwork was getting sloppier, she couldn't stop thinking about _Weiss_ , she had just abandoned her in Heimstätte! _What if something happens to her!? It'll be all my fault! I'm a terrible partner! A terrible girlfriend!_

 

The Huntress felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, as mental images of an injured or dying Weiss flooded her consciousness, her chest tightened and ice clawed at her heart.

 

She slipped. She fell.

 

Crescent Rose clattered to the ground and a Beowolf swiped at Ruby, painting an angry slice across the right side of her face.

 

The Grimm reared its head back and lunged at the injured Huntress, ready for the kill but was sent flying back by a blast from Qrow's shotgun.

 

All was quiet as the storm in Waldstadt raged on, the now disintegrating Beowolf, apparently the last of the Grimm horde.

 

Ruby cheek burned and she continued to weep, tears mixing with the blood pouring down her face and staining her clothes. She couldn't care less, the only thing she cared about was _Weiss_.  _Weiss_... _WeissWeissWeissWeissWeissWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISSWEISS_

 

Ruby thought her head was going to collapse in on itself, her mind was screaming at the top of it's lungs, _Weiss is dead! It's all your fault! Failure! You're a failure!_ She couldn't create another cohesive thought no matter how hard she tried, it felt like thousands of white hot knives were being jabbed into her skull. Only sobs could escape her mouth as she curled herself into the fetal position.

 

Behind Ruby, her father smashed his fists into the ground, beating them bloody on the cold cobblestone streets, he was near foaming at the mouth like a wild animal, completely and utterly consumed by _rage_ , he _needed_ to find more Grimm and _crush_ them, _crush_ them with his bare hands.

 

Qrow had fallen onto his knees and head pointed skyward, looking into the dark clouds overhead, utterly frozen in terror...a terror that was controlling and _all_ _encompassing_ , a terror he had felt long ago. Images of things he’d rather forget scorched his mind and left him paralyzed.

 

Ruby felt like she was going to die, her heart slammed against her chest, what felt like five hundred million times a minute, the chaos in her brain reaching a fever pitch before…

 

_Silence._

 

And suddenly… everything was normal once again, she could think straight, her heartbeat  had calmed significantly, and her tears had _just_ stopped. Ruby looked around, utterly confused. _What just happened?_ Her eyes darted all around the town square, she saw her father and uncle returning back to normal. The stinging on her face however was only growing worse in the intense cold, pin pricks running all along her cheek. She looked around to make sure they were still alone in the square, whatever just happen was the work of someone’s semblance, now that she had all her mental faculties back, she was sure about that.

 

 _What a twisted semblance...messing with people's heads like that. Just like Emerald, but different._ Ruby shuddered at the thought of whoever owned this power, semblaces were a reflection of a person’s soul after all.

 

As if on queue the Huntress caught something out of the corner of her eye, it was a _figure_ with a wide brimmed hat standing on one of the cabin rooftops looking down on the town square, the coat tail of the duster it wore blew chaotically in the blizzard winds. The figure waved when Ruby noticed him. “ _Hell_ of a trick, is it not? Usually doesn't tear people up so bad...perhaps you’ve got some _emotional_ issues?” A mechanically amplified voice spoke, and the figure descended from his spot on the roof.

 

Ruby could see clearly now, he was the mysterious figure from the photo, dressed in a long tattered duster with the _same_ wide brimmed hat atop his metal head, he had to be wearing some kind robotic exoskeleton, she could hear the dull humming of servos and motors and the clicks and clacks of joints. In one hand he twirled his massive axe, it's crescent shaped blade whistling as it spun through the air, and hoisted onto his shoulder, held in place with his other hand, was an unconscious woman with pale blue hair. “Ozpin’s Golden Goose, or should I say silver? And the last half of _Team STRQ_ , tis’ a frabjous day, indeed. Lucky me, _lucky me_.” the stranger spoke loudly, gesturing at the three Hunters with his weapon, he threw the woman from his shoulder and onto the cold ground below him.

 

Taiyang and Qrow stayed right where they were, muscles clenched in anticipation, not moving an inch and Ruby was much the same, she had now stood up and taken her weapon but remained motionless, she wondering if her father and unlce’s inert states were born from uncertainty like hers was. The strange mechanical man pointed at the prone woman and spoke. “ _The Spring Maiden_ … if any of you wish to stop me. Then come hither, O’ _mighty_ Huntsman, and slay this _wretched_ beastie!” he stepped forward with his axe in both hands and _lunged_ at Ruby.

 

* * *

 

 

“And, uh, what will ya have, _Kid._ ” the chiseled man at bar spat, he didn’t look too pleased to be serving someone like Noire, he had one of those faces that just reeked of trouble, but he couldn’t really care less, it wasn’t often that these recovery missions would lead him and Marron to places like this, places with bright lights, loud music and some damn _booze_.

 

Noire leaned in close to the bar and smiled wryly, reaching into his pocket to flash his badge. The way the bartender’s face went pale and his dull green eyes lit up was simply _priceless!_ Trackers were definitely something to take seriously, especially in the seedier side of Vacou “Yeah, I’ll have a Strawberry Sunrise, no ice… and with one of those little umbrellas. A glass of ice water, for my partner back there, and some information, too.”

 

The bartender nodded and immediately got to work on preparing the Tracker’s order, almost like his life depended on it...what a silly idea. In no time flat, the drinks were in front of Noire. “What _kind_ of information do you want? You're not looking for someone, are you?” the bartender was sweating bullets, he obviously knew what it meant if they _were_ looking for someone.

 

Noire took a sip of his drink and savored it’s almost sickly sweet flavor mixed the sharp kick of alcohol. _Man makes a good drink._ He took a look around the club, bodies bouncing one way and another on the dancefloor, he could see his partner at their table, he looked like he was about to shoot himself, everyone seemed to be having a _great_ time.

 

The Tracker looked back at the bartender. “Looking for a _Roy Stallion._ You know him?” Noire fixed the bartender with his most intense stare, he didn’t feel like playing games tonight, plus he already had this guy on the ropes.

 

The man behind the bar seemed to shrink, he was shaking a little, trying hard not to shake _a lot_. He wiped his sweat covered brow. “Y-yeah, he’s a regular, usually hangs out on the second floor, in the lounge.” he pointed upward feebly.

 

Noire grabbed the two glasses and made his way back to where Marron was sitting. “Put the drinks on our friend Roy’s tab, _will ya?_ ”

 

The Tracker didn’t bother to face the bartender as he heard him yell over the the loud beat of the music, he no longer garnered his attention. “Please don’t do this, man. He’s a _veteran_ for Dust sake, he fought in the War!”

 

That remark however, _did_.

 

Noire turned back to face the bartender and he saw him flinch when he did so. He could still see him shaking, even from further away. The man may have _looked_ tough but he was weak where it mattered most. The Tracker fixed him with one last piercing glare as he yelled back. “Life’s a war, we're all veterans!” He continued on his way back to his partner, he was done screwing around with civies.    

 

At their table Marron sat like a bump on a log, having stopped staring off into space, he had taken one of his gloves off and was now inspecting his hand. He was looking intently at scabs left over a bite mark on the bottom of his hand, it was an angry red blotched with sickly yellows and greens, it would have healed months ago but the Tracker had penchant for picking at his wounds. He was so enamored with his injury that he didn't notice his partner reach the table until he slammed a glass of ice water onto the table sloshing liquid all over the place.

 

Noire looked at his partner and smiled widely, _mischievously_ , in his hand he held his own drink. That girly drink he had been talking his ear off about ever since they left HQ. He sat down and slicked back his jet black hair, taking a sip of his beverage, Noire looked at his partner expectantly and gesture to the the glass opposite to him. “ _Water_ you waiting for, _dude_. Take a sippy.”

 

Marron scoffed at Noire’s gods awful “ _joke_ ” looked at his partner incredulously. “Are you a _child?_ ” he looked back to his hand wound intent to ignore his partner until he said something pertaining to their mission. They didn't have any rush, _he_ could wait.

 

Noire made some sort of grunt of disapproval. “You know, at least _I_ don’t pick my cuts until they get infected...where’d you even get a _fucking_ bite mark? Really gotta _hand_ it to you, Comorbid!” the Tracker chuckled to himself and took another swig of his drink.

 

Marron looked up from his hand and scowled, doing his best to tell his partner how not funny he was from behind his collar. “How could you _forget_ where I got this?” he knew Noire didn't have the best memory but he got this bite mark three months ago during General Glass’s visit to HQ it was a fairly important day.

 

Noire simply shrugged, it didn’t seem to bother him much, did he really forget? Or maybe he was just being an ass, it was beginning to become harder to tell everyday. He gulped down the last of his drink and waved his hand dismissively. “Who cares? that’s not important, what _is_ important is that our _boy_ is up in the lounge right now.” he gesture upward as if his partner couldn't comprehend what he meant when he said “ _up in the lounge_ ”

 

Marron nodded curtly and stood up from his chair, leaving behind his glass of water at the table. He regloved his hand and grabbed the handle of his briefcase, witch had been resting under his chair. Empty brown eyes trained on the stairs to the lounge, his partner quickly joined his side, slicking back his with a smirk. Marron could see that his partner had actually brought his weapon on this mission, though strangely or perhaps not so strangely, the sleek grey gauntlet was on his right forearm when it usually went on the left.

 

Noire made an annoyed sigh, which was barely audible over the club’s music, before turning to his partner. “Thisy Stallion guy I don’t get why the boss sent us after him, he’s a mediocre Huntsman with slightly above average aura, surely there better candidates than _him._ ”

 

Marron wasn’t surprised that his partner hadn’t read/forgot this week’s status report. He brought a gloved hand to the bridge of his nose and exhaled, he could feel the indentation of scar tissue on the bridge of his, even through his glove and that helped relax him. He turned to Noire and the stupid questioning look on face. “We’re running out of aura, Noire. You’d know if you read the report that were in final stages and we need more aura or else we might face a relapse. Roy Stallion has adequate aura, and little social connections...no one will miss him _too_ terribly.”

 

Noire shook his head in understanding, and soon enough the two Tracker had made it to the lounge and were now searching their target there were a surprising amount of bodies to sift through, they both had his face memorized, so it was only matter time. Noire thought it would be nice to kill some of that time with conversation. “So, Marron. You think he’ll put up a fight?”

 

And at that moment Marron spotted their target in a nice little corner booth with a girl on one arm and a guy on the other, he seemed to be enjoying himself. The Tracker’s grip on briefcase tightened and began walking. “He can _try_.”

 

Roy must have had nose for trouble or Marron and Noire had stronger air of danger than the average person because the instant he spotted the approaching Trackers his face blanched, but to his credit he was quick to regain his composure, rushedly sending away his companions and downing the rest of his drinks.

 

Marron brushed his hair out his face and signaled for his partner to wait behind him, he placed his briefcase on the floor and began removing his gloves again. Stallion looked scared but remained seated behind the booth’s table his eyes met Marron-Gray’s. “So you're a _Tracker, huh?_ ”

 

Marron-Gray nodded slowly, flexed his fingers in each hand boring into the old and new scars with a palpable disdain. “And you're Roy Stallion, _huh?_ ”

 

Roy put his hands up in a gesture of surrender, he was giving himself up already. It looked like he didn't even have his weapons. He looked pleadingly at Marron-Gray. “Listen man, I don’t want any trouble, I come, no fight, man. I don’t my _fucking_ legs smashed in or something.”

 

The Tracker stopped scanning over his hands and gave his target a _undescribable_ look that made his skin crawling stare. He spoke like montone robot, without a hint of emotion. “That’s a real shame, Roy Stallion, because i'm about to smash your _fucking_ legs in.”

 

A beat and then without warning, before Roy could even react, Marron-Gray dove over his table like some kind of rabid animal and proceeded to smash his legs in.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ruby, Tai, and Qrow vs the metal man...who will be victorious?
> 
> and of course poor Roy...remember Roy guys!? I feel kinda bad. he was that saw blade guy, of course you remember the saw blade guy.
> 
> oh well, hope have a great day folks!


	15. Roost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> new chapter, bazow!
> 
> been playing too much MHW instead of writing, so this chapter is dedicated to my boi Nergigante!
> 
> was it hype? was it sad? was it just bad? lemme know, ladies and germs.

**Chapter 12: Roost**

 

Fiery explosions of Dust echoed all around the young man as lugged his heavy scythe across the the burning forest. Each blast managed to uproot dozens of ashy trees and seem to even crack the very surface of the earth. The pungent stench of death and smoke formed a noxious miasma, so potent it almost made the young man’s stomach turn. It was Hell in every sense of the word but to the young man, he couldn't care less. It was the _perfect_ place for him die.

 

His aura was already fully depleted and he was bleeding quite heavily from a deep gash running down his right arm...if he lived after today, it would be without that arm, he couldn't even feel it anymore. It was bleeding so much that if he wanted to, he could simply lie down and drift away, it would be easy, and that was the problem, he didn’t _deserve_ that, _no._ People like him needed to burn...to be torn limb from limb, he needed to die wild and afraid...clawing and scraping for his life, only for it to be torn from his grasp.

 

So he sought the _Hellion_ that held dominion over this burning wood. The very last Hellion at that... _well_ technically second-last Hellion. The details didn’t matter, the only thing that mattered to the young man was that there was an opponent strong enough to end his life somewhere in this forest and was determined to hunt them down. His Majesty’s _pleas_ otherwise be damned.

 

The young man saw a lanky figure through the smoke and prepared himself for his last stand, his heavy scythe readied as best as could be, considering he only had one useable arm.

 

“Goodbye, your Majesty... _Oz_. I know I won’t see you on the other side.”

  


* * *

 

 

Before Ruby could even register what was happening she saw Qrow and Taiyang rush into action. Qrow’s sword clashed with the stranger’s axe, sparks flying through the air as they repeatedly clashed. Taiyang helped his daughter back to her feet, and handed her Crescent Rose.

 

“Are you ok, _sweetie?_ I don’t know what the hell happened back there.” Tai was obviously worried about his daughter’s condition, and when she gave him a nod of affirmation, he turned to jump into the fray. “give us some supporting fire, Ruby!”

 

Qrow’s blade clashed with his opponent’s axe once again as the stranger parried another one of his blows and without even turning his head, he delivered a swift kick into the gut of a charging Taiyang, sending him flying backward. The stranger leaped into the air, somersaulting before slamming his axe into the ground, just missing Qrow by hair's width. Tai charged again, only to be sent flying with a savage blow to the chest, his aura the only thing stopping the strike from cutting him in two.

 

Ruby loaded Crescent Rose with Burn Dust ammunition and took her aim, she trained her scope right on the stranger’s head and fired. In a flash the bullet soared through the air and _nearly_ connected with her target’s head, but at the last second he had somehow managed to _dodge_ the bullet.

 

The Huntress bit her lip as she saw he father and uncle fail to land any considerable hits on the stranger. He was a _very_ good multitasker, she decided that she needed to find a way to overwhelm him further, in an instant she had an idea, and a _brash_ one at that, _but_ brash seemed to be just what they needed right now.

 

She activated he semblance at its full power and everything around her _slowed_ to a crawl, a trick she had learned after years of using her semblance. The snow from the blizzard seemed almost stationary like a beautiful painting, or more like a photograph. It was _perfect_ , but she could wax poetic later, she was on a timer, using her semblance at this capacity was quite taxing on her aura, but she knew it would pay off. She strolled up to the stranger’s body, even in this seemingly frozen time he was still moving, even if it was in tiny increments, she wondered briefly if he could comprehend what she was doing.

 

She empty her remaining eleven Burn Dust bullets into places all around the stranger each from a different angles, she loaded her Bolt Dust bullets and did the same, and as a finishing touch she used a trick she had learned from _Weiss_ , she loaded her Gravity Dust ammunition and fired them point blank at the strange’s legs and torso. They would hit before the other bullets and anchor him in place, ensuring that he wouldn't be able dodge any of the empending onslaught.

 

And as the final step, Ruby grabbed the collars of her father, uncle, and then the Spring Maiden, and pulled them out of the radius of the incoming explosion, before deactivating her semblance. Everything was quiet for the tiniest of instances before giving way to an almost earthshaking-

 

 ***BOOM***     

 

The stranger was completely enveloped in smoke, but Ruby could see his kneeling form struggling to stand back up.

 

_He’s completely open!_

 

Ruby called upon the last vestiges of her aura and dashed at stranger, ready to end this for good and then get back to her partner! Her scythe soared through the air faster than sound, faster than most could even comprehend, but not as fast as before and perhaps _that_ was the issue. A mere _instant_ before the blade of the scythe would have hit it’s target, a mechanical hand caught the blade like it was nothing.

 

Emotionless bright white lights met shocked pools of liquid silver. Ruby’s onslaught seemed to have had little effect, only seeming to char the stranger’s clothing, burning holes in some place and exposing the dull bronze colored plating underneath. “You're fast and savy to boot, Silver-Eyed One...but it seems you have much to learn, before you can snuff out this old shadow. Live, _hate_ , and grow stronger, _My dear._ ”

 

And before Ruby could even react to the strangeness the stranger had said to her, Crescent Rose was wrenched from her hands and tossed somewhere unseen, and she was smashed across the head with the heft of the stranger's axe so hard it sent her flying in the opposite direction.

 

Ruby hit the ground with a dull thud and tumbled into a pile of snow, her head was spinning and her aura was completely depleted, she tried to stand but it just wasn’t possible in her condition, the world seemed to be spinning and it made her feel very nauseous. She was fairly certain she was concussed. She could hear people shouting her name and then the telltale clang of metal on metal. _Qrow and Dad, are fighting! I gotta find my sweetheart!_

 

Qrow and Taiyang had charged full force at the mechanical man, but even after what Ruby did _whatever_ she did, he seemed just as quick as ever. He tanked Tai’s fists and easily parried, blocked, and _dodged_ everything Qrow threw at him. But the cracks _were_ starting to form, Tai could see his opponent getting sloppier.

 

So they fought on. Tai came at the stranger with a feinted right jab and when he took the bait, he followed up with the fastest left handed punch he could manage and hit the stranger's helmet, shattering one of his eye-lights and sending him reeling. The two Huntsman shared a look, before Qrow used his shotgun to blast the already reeling stranger, which sent him onto his knees and his axe clattering to the ground.

 

The stranger began to laugh through his voice amplifier, apparently pleased at the job his adversaries were doing, however it was abruptly silenced by a vicious kick to the head by Taiyang, which shattered his other eye and put a _considerable_ dent in the metal of his helmet. The retired Huntsman then brought his leg upward and axe kicked the back of the stranger’s head so hard that when it made contact with the cobblestone ground, sparks shot out, lighting up the dark town square for a brief moment.

 

Taiyang wasn’t done, however, he grabbed the stranger by his shoulders and lifted him upwards. The stranger kicked Taiyang in the stomach, but the Huntsman seemed to ignore the blow completely, he looked at Qrow and yelled out a single word. “ _Firebird!_ ”

 

Qrow seem surprised for a moment before he nodded and transformed his sword into its scythe form, while Tai spun the stranger around, before using his semblance to blast the mechanical man towards his old teammate. The fiery explosions created enough momentum for the stranger to fly right where Qrow wanted him. He hooked the blade of his scythe around the soaring man’s torso and _slingshotted_ him right through the wall of small cabin, and to finish it all off, Taiyang grabbed the stranger’s axe from the cold ground and charged through the hole in the cabin’s wall and with a cry of pure rage he buried the axe into the man’s armored chest, completely lodging the blade inside with a sickening _crunch_.

 

The retired Huntsman walked out of the partially destroyed cabin, which had been thankfully empty. He dusted himself off and gave Qrow a thumbs up, but quickly set his sights on his daughter, who was currently lying in a pile of snow, quickly sprinting her side he knelt down to assess her injuries, she had a nasty cut on the side of head from the heft of the axe and the gash on her cheek was still bleeding.

 

She looked really out of it, but as far as Tai could tell it was nothing life threatening. He tried to hide the thick worry in his voice when he spoke. “Hey, _hey_ , Kiddo. You alright? You took a nasty hit back there. How do you _feel?_ ”

 

Ruby groaned as her previously lidded eyes fluttered open. “ _Dad?_ I-I think I have a c-c-concussion, everything is _blurry_ and _spinny._ ” Tai nodded in understanding, it was safe to assume his daughter was in no condition to walk on her own, so he picked her up, taking extra care not jostle her head too much and carried her over to Qrow, who was currently looking over the unconscious Spring Maiden. He noticed a flash of familiar crimson buried in another snowpile and he gently set his daughter down next to it. He reached into the snow and retrieved Crescent Rose, put it back in it’s compact form and placed it next his daughter, before kissing her on her forehead. “I'll be right back, sweetie. Just sit tight alright?”

 

Tai put a hand on Qrow’s shoulder. “What’s _her_ condition? Ruby’s in _bad_ shape, we need to get to Heimstätte. _ASAP_.”

 

Qrow grumbled to himself, before reaching for his flask and taking a swig, he didn't bother offering any to his former teammate, he knew Tai hated boozes. He stood up and gave the unconscious Maiden another once over. “She’s out cold, Tai. _ice cold_ . Like I think she’s in a fucking coma cold. He must have decked her. _Hard_ . Her nose and cheekbones are _shattered_ , and the swelling is serious, _and_ I don’t know if there’s any internal bleeding...you might have to leave me here for a while. It would be a real bad idea to try and move her, I think.”

 

Tai took his own look at the unconscious Maiden, if he didn’t know any better he would have said she was dead, her face was a mess of red and purple. It made him feel sick. “ _Dust_ , how old is she?”

 

Qrow took another swig from his flask and grimaced. “ _sixteen._ ”

 

The retired huntsman clenched his fists and let out an exhale of breath, misting up the freezing air around him. ”How _heartless_ does someone have to be? What the hell are these guys trying to accomplish!?”

 

Before Qrow could formulate any kind of response to Tai’s questions, he heard a rustling sound accompanied by unmistakable sound of robotic joints. Both men turned to the source of the noise and saw the stranger stumble out of the cabin through the hole he made, axe still embedded in his chest.

 

The mechanical man shuffled like some kind of _monster_ , sparking and twitching all the way. He put both hands on the handle of his axe and forced the blade out from his chest with a unsettling _squelch_ . Blood seemed to ooze from the weapon and the massive wound in equal measure. The stranger's voice amplifier must have been damaged, as it distorted his now wheezing voice beyond recognition. “How _heartless_ indeed. _Huntsmen._ ”  

 

  

Tai was taken completely aback. _How is this freak still standing!?_ He let out a yell of frustration. “Just _what_ the hell are _you!?_ ”

 

The stranger took a moment to ponder, looking up into the stormy sky above. Before looking directly at Taiyang. “ _Me?_ You wanna know what I _am?!_ I'm the monster in your closet, under your bed, i'm what goes bump in the night, i'm the one who punishes naughty kids, when they misbehave!” The stranger gestured wildly with his hands, and Tai could see blood spilling out from seams in his helmet...he really _did_ look a monster. “Qrow’s been having nightmares about me for years, so have your daughters, and so have _you!_ You already have a name for me...no need to give me more than one.”

 

Everyone stood silent, Taiyang had no clue what to do, the inky black tendrils of _fear_ suddenly wrapped themselves around his heart...but they were quickly burned away by red hot flames of _anger._ The retired Huntsman was fed up with up with all of this nonsense, he was going rip this guys head clean off!

 

Qrow, however simply could _not_ move. His fear and hesitation from earlier had returned tenfold, his hands shook and he just stood and watched.

 

Ruby, even in her somewhat dazed state, was attacked by her emotions once again. This man had survived _so_ much punishment there was no way they could win. _We should just give up...i'm such a failure!_ The Huntress began sob quietly as she was overtaken by self loathing.  

 

The stranger exhaled, and raised his arms to the sky “Aaaah, here it comes again, and I was having such a grand time! But anybody so easily ensnared by the coils of fear, is no worthy opponent!” he dodged expertly as Taiyang charged blindly at him, his precision and calculation from earlier now completely gone. He delivered a harsh kick to the Huntsman’s back and cried to the heavens. “ _Have at you!_ ”

 

Savage blow after savage blow were simply sidestepped as Taiyang grew more sloppy, he was tiring himself out and no one was there to back him up. Earlier he had been a deadly adversary to the stranger _but_ now, he was _nothing_. Deciding play time was over the stranger swung his axe at a charging Taiyang’s legs, sending the Huntsman harshly to the ground. The stranger followed through almost instantly, raising his leg he bagean stomping Taiyang’s head until his foot came away bloody and his opponent no longer fought to stand up.

 

The stranger looked up from his bloody foot and noticed that Qrow, was still standing. _Shock_ and _fear_ painted all over his face, he stepped on Taiyang’s wheezing form, as if he were an insect on the sidewalk and limped towards the still stationary Qrow. The mechanical man outstretched his arms as he got closer and _closer._ His distorted voice echoed through the the quiet town square. “What’s the matter, _Harbinger?_ Do you remember me yet? Do you need me to _jog_ your memory?”

 

Qrow backed away from the approaching stranger, he raised his sword, but his hesitation was blindingly clear. “Who are _you!?_ ” 

 

The mechanical man laughed heartily, still lumbering towards the huntsman. “Does _“keep running Qrow, I got this guy.”_ ring any bells?”  

 

Qrow’s eyes lit up and widened like saucers as a sudden realization struck him like a bolt of lighting. A look of determined rage began to grow on his face, his fear now totally gone. The clockwork mechanism in his blade began turning, transforming the weapon from sword to _scythe_ . Tears started pouring from his eyes as he slowly approached the mechanical man. “It was you...it was you! It was _you!_ IT WAS _YOU!_ ” he screeched at the top of his lungs, sounding equal parts pained and enraged.

 

A light _click_ was heard and the blade of the stranger's axe surged forward, transforming the weapon from axe to _scythe_ and suddenly a monster truly befitting a fairytale stood before the Huntsman.

 

The stranger hoisted his new weapon upon his shoulder and spoke in voice dripping with malice. “ _Aye_ ...it _was_ me.”

 

Qrow screamed again.

 

Scythe met scythe in a flurry of strikes, blades barely missing their intended targets, both men were extremely skilled, but it was downwards spiral, doomed from the start, through the influence of the stranger’s semblance, Qrow's mind was overtaken by his emotions, he grew more and more angry, more and more unfocused, soon all he could see was red.

 

He slipped, unfortunately, on a displaced cobblestone, and he took a hit, right through his exhausted aura like tissue paper, it was deep and right down the side of his thigh, which was bad. The leg gave out and he fell onto his knee. He was bleeding _badly_. The stranger spun his scythe like a marching baton and Qrow only barely managed to doge the onslaught with his one good leg.

 

“ _You should give it up, old man._ ” the voice of his _sister_ rang in his head as the world around him grew quiet and seemed to slow down. His hands slipped parrying another strike, dozens of deep cuts riddled his arms, dripping blood onto his weapon’s handle. When did that happen?

 

“You’re _PATHETIC!_ ” the voice of _Taiyang_ , screamed inside his head, rattling his whole body. The air was so _cold_. He landed a blow with his scythe and the stranger went reeling backward, the friction of the blade dragging across his metal chassis sent tremors up Qrows arms.

 

“ _You cannot win this._ ” the voice of _Ozpin_ slunk it’s way into his head, a flash of movement and the stranger was back on his feet, and Qrow seized this opportunity, bringing down his scythe with all his might, burying it deep into the stranger’s shoulder with a _crunch_.

 

“ _You...let me down..._ ” the voice of _Summer_ fluttered through Qrow’s mind, the stranger stumbled backward trying to dislodge Qrow’s blade from his shoulder, swinging his own wildy along the way. Qrow fell backward onto the snowy ground, he tried to stand, but he couldn’t, one of his arms was gone.

 

Tired red eyes looked into the sky, it was dark and ugly, and he thought that was very fitting. His eyes felt heavy, he could hear someone calling his name, but he was far _too_ tired to respond, it wasn't like he could do much to help either way...he was a failure, he was useless, he was... _bad luck._

 

So…

 

He closed his eyes.

 

_And drifted off to sleep._

 

* * *

 

 

“ _NOOOOOOO! UNCLE QROW!_ ” Ruby screamed as loudly as she could. _this can't be happening, it can't!_ She chanted in her head repeatedly, her overwhelming fear and panic had now transformed into overwhelming anger and despair. She could already feel the overwhelming burning sensation overcoming her whole body, in ever growing waves, increasing in heat until a breaking point was reached. She stood up from the snowy ground, ignoring the searing pain inside her skull, and rushed the mechanical man.

 

Still trying to dislodge the scythe from his shoulder, his mobillity was severely limited. So before he could even react Ruby was right in front of him, her eyes burning with silver flames.

 

Self control was a concept lost to the Silver-Eyed Warrior at this point, all she cared about was annihilating this... _monster_ that stood before her. She focused all of her energy and yet again, the world seemed to freeze around her, just like a photo. She could see the stranger trying to create distance between her but, he wouldn't get far _enough_ .   

 

She screamed again…

 

And everything went _white._

  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know why i decided to kill off Qrow...it was just something that happened while i wrote this chapter, plus i think it cements Littlehorn as a true asshole, a true villain, a monster you could even say.
> 
> just in case it's not obvious  
> Ned Scratch=Floyd Littlehorn=Mechanical Man.
> 
> more to come.


	16. The Freeshooter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> N E W C H A P T E R W U S S G O O D ?
> 
> enjoy it, folks and if it's not too much to ask, leave a comment! ask some questions! call me a name! if you think i really deserve it idc!

**Chapter 13: The Freeshooter**

  
  


In only half a day Yang and Blake were in Eishaus,  _ re-armed  _ and ready to protect the Winter Maiden, whomever they might be, Oscar had not given  _ anybody  _ the identity of their Maiden, just their location, a move obviously made for the sake of of security, which Yang could understand well enough. 

 

_ Still… _

 

She hated being in the dark.  

 

And if Blake was annoyed by it, she wasn't showing it, she was in full mission mode ever since their heart-to-heart with Oscar.

 

The Faunus tilted her hooded head into the dark and hazy sky before turning to face her partner, using her arm to shield her face from the onslaught of wind and snow. “This storm is getting worse, we should probably find a place to set up shop, before we freeze to death.”

 

Blake pointed to what looked like a local tavern,  _ The Eishaus House _ , is what the frost covered signpost said in big grey letters, Yang could see the friendly orange lights of a fireplace bleeding through the windows of the establishment, and the idea of warming up next to it with a stiff drink or two was  _ very  _ attractive to her at the present moment.

 

She gave Blake a big smile. “Now there's an idea, Blakey!” The two parked their snowmobile out front of the establishment and entered, Yang holding open the door for her girlfriend in a very gentlewomanly fashion, which only earned a vaguely bemused stare.

 

The tavern was bustling with all manner of folk, drinking, singing, and just generally having a grand old time, to busy to even register the new arrivals. It seemed almost like a scene right out of a movie, the two Huntresses found a secluded little table at the far side of the place. 

 

As Blake pulled out a chair, Yang focused her gaze on the bar. “I'll be right back, I'm going get something to wet our whistles.”

 

Blake grabbed Yang's wrist. “We don't have any money, Remember?”

 

The blonde made a dismissive hand gesture. “Don't worry, babe. I'll figure something out.” And she gave her girlfriend and wink and began on her way.

 

As Yang made her way through the crowded tavern she couldn't help but feel like she was being watched, which was strange since everyone seemed to be fairly occupied with getting shitfaced. The feeling distracted her enough that she nearly collided with a young girl, who was some kind of waitress or barmaid. Was there even a difference between the two?

 

When she reached the bar she was greeted by a gruff looking man with the barest hints greying purple hairs on his head and a bushy handlebar mustache, his equally as purple eyes glanced down and Yang's new prosthetic and he whistled. “Welp, that's one heck of a fancy arm there. I'll take it you're a  _ Hunter  _ too then?”

 

Yang was slightly taken aback by his comment.  _ Too? Is there another Hunter here? _ “Uhm...yeah I'm a Huntress.”

 

The barkeep gave a wry smile. “Well guess you decided to come on a good night, Hunters drink for free tonight. So what’ll you have, missy?”

 

The blonde was taken aback once again. “I’ll take two ciders, and ask what's the occasion?”

 

Barkeep pointed to the far left of the tavern, the exact opposite of where Blake was, and saw a man with light pink hair tied into a ponytail sitting alone with his boots propped up on a table. 

 

“He came in a while ago and said to put anything a Hunter orders on his tab”

 

The mysterious man nodded at Yang and raised his class as soon as she made eye contact with him. The blonde only managed an awkward wave back.

 

When she turned back to the barkeep he handed her the two mugs of ciders, and sent her on her way.

 

Blake had a surprised look on her face when she saw Yang coming back with the two drinks. “That was faster than I expected, how'd you pull this one off?”

 

Yang cleared her throat. “Well don't look now but it seems like we have a secret admirer.” 

 

Blake took a sip of her cider. “Pink hair, three o'clock?” 

 

Yang took a sip of  _ her _ cider. “ _ Bingo _ .” 

 

Blake's eyes stayed trained directly to her mug. “I figured as much, he went straight as a ramrod as soon we got in here, then he propped his feet on the table, trying to act casual. This might be bad.”

 

Yang took another swig and shrugged. “Maybe he just hit paydirt with a good contract, and wants to share the wealth with his brothers and sisters in arms? Qrow said there should be no way for them to know where we are.”

 

The blonde noticed her partner's eyes dart ever so slightly toward their mystery man and then immediately back to her mug. “He's coming this way. Let me do the talking.”

 

Yang nodded and downed the rest of her cider.

 

And soon enough the mystery man was before them and pulled up a chair, three mugs of cider in hand. He gave the pair a smile. “Howdy, hope I'm not intruding, names Baker Miller, couldn't help but notice you two were Huntresses. I'm a Huntsmen myself, just finished up a massive contract, and thought I might share in the wealth. Although it was more of a  _ symbolic  _ gesture, I actually wasn’t expecting any Hunters to stop by.”

 

Yang looked to Blake, how were they gonna play this? When her partner gave a small nod, she gestured for Baker to take a seat. “It’s cool, pop a squat, names Yang by the way.” 

 

Baker nodded as he took his seat in between the two huntresses and placed the three new mugs of cider on the table before turning to Blake. “and  _ you  _ are?” he asked, his crimson eyes scanning over the woman, as if searching for something, something more than  _ just  _ a name.

 

Blake took another sip of her cider and spoke in usual reserved tone. “I’m Blake, it’s nice to meet you...so what was this big contract of yours? I've heard that good ones have been pretty scarce lately...you must be a  _ lucky  _ guy.” she was prodding him. 

 

Baker leaned back in his chair, and placed a hand on his chin, as if stroking an invisible beard. “Oh yeah, it was the real deal...you guys ever hear of a  _ Karnonos _ ?”

 

Blake decided to prod for more information, she knew that Karnonos were  _ very  _ rare and  _ very  _ dangerous, it would take a person with a whole lot of skill to put one down, especially without sustaining any visual injuries. “ _ Wow _ , i've never heard of that kind of Grimm before! Have you Yang?”

 

Yang gave a shrug, she remembered from her study sessions with Weiss back at Haven, Karnonos were one the rarest and most dangerous Grimm on Remnant, this guy  _ had  _ to be bluffing. “Nope, never...must be pretty rare, how’d you take it out?” 

 

Baker was quiet for a moment, he reached for one the mugs and took a small sip, and almost comically made a face of approval at the taste. “Oh, ladies you misunderstood.  _ I  _ didn't take it out...in fact it might be still out there, no I got some friends of mine to take care of it. While I just sit here...like some sort of  _ coward _ .”

 

Blake and Yang both tensed, they shared confused glances, unsure of what to do.

 

Baker took another drink from his mug, this time gulping the whole thing down with a satisfied “ _ ahhhh~ _ ” He examined the mug, as if it were a fine painting, a wry smile growing on his face. “Maybe you know em’- ” he turned his head to Yang, his expression completely blank. “Short woman, white hair, blue eyes, and her girly friend with, get this... _ silver _ eyes! Can you believe  _ that!? _ ” 

 

In what seemed like an instant, Baker tossed the mug he was holding up into the air and on instinct the two Huntresses looked away from him, following the mug’s trajectory, before feeling a hard grip on each of their shoulders, followed by the unmistakable feeling of a  _ gun  _ being shoved against the backs of each of their heads.

 

Panicked eyes rushed around the suddenly dead quiet tavern, only to see every person being held up by an  _ Atlesian Knight!? _

 

Baker caught the mug before it could shatter on the ground and gently placed it back on the table, he stood up and directed his speech to the patrons of the tavern “My apologies for the inconvenience, everyone. Just stay put, there doesn't have to be any unnecessary death tonight. I’ll be out of your hair in no time,  _ so _ , talk amongst yourselves.” he turned backed to two Huntresses and took his seat once more, leaning back in his chair and putting his feet up on the table, seemingly without a care.

 

He looked at his two hostages with a passing glance. “Bet you weren't expecting  _ that  _ kind of ambush. Bet you thought you thought you had me on the ropes,  _ huh? _ Buncha fuckin’  _ children _ . I can’t believe you used to be one of us!” Baker pointed an acustory finger at Blake.

 

Yang clenched her fists, eyes slowly turning red, this guy had a  _ lot _ of nerve.

 

Baker rolled his eyes, seemingly just as annoyed at his hostages as they were with him. He reached behind his head, and pulled out his hair tie, letting his bubblegum pink hair to fall back to shoulder length and then exhaled. “Down girl! That’s an Atlesian Knight- _ 550 _ sticking you up, that rifle fires  5.7×28mm, gravity dust infused cartridges, designed specifically for fucking up  _ your  _ day.  _ So,  _ take a chill pill.”

 

Blake spoke up, she knew there was only one way out of this in one piece, and that was by  _ playing his game. _ “Just listen to him, Yang. it’s not worth it.”

 

Baker chimed in dryly, almost as if wanting Yang to try her luck. “Yeah, listen to Agent Belladonna... _ it’s not worth it. _ ”

 

Yang seemingly ignored her partner’s advice, taking Baker’s bait. Her eyes fully glowing red, teeth clenched and grinding. “ _ What _ did  _ you  _ do to my  _ sister!? _ ” she was  _ furious,  _ to put it lightly.

 

Baker leaned forward, face plastered with a big shit-eating grin, before he placed a hand on his chest in mock hurt. “Me? I haven’t done anything, if anything’s even happened, it would be the Karnonos’s fault. Not mine,  _ Goldilocks _ .”

 

Yang let out a screech of pure rage and tried to lunge at Baker, but instead she had her face slammed against the table by the surprisingly strong Knights as another set of hands appeared seemingly out of nowhere to restrain her arms and anchor her in place.

 

Baker turned to Blake who remained in her position, trying her best to keep up her poker face through Yang’s struggling cries of anger. He chuckled darkly. “ _Easy_ , boys. Don't rough her up too much, she gets off on that.” he took his feet off the table and leaned towards his hostage. His strangely serene. “You know, Agent Belladonna. Someone used to tell me, that if you focus and I mean _really_ focus on another person's aura, you can get a good insight into what kind of person they are.”

 

Blake kept her mouth shut, but nodded her head. Things needed to de escalate.

 

Baker continued on. “You see every aura is different. Your friend here is like a wild flame, scorching and uncontrollable, only  _ growing  _ in intensity. While yours  is...smooth almost, and dense, like a hunk of cold forged steel wrapped in silk.” he stood up and turned around walking into the group of held up patrons. “ _ And. _ The Winter Maiden...i'm told, is like a cold breeze, the kind that you’d expect before a storm.”

 

Baker took a deep breath and kept walking until he was in front of a young woman with purple hair, the barmaid Yang had nearly collided with, he caressed her cheek, the woman began to cry and he began shushing her. “ _ Shhhh _ , little lady, you should be happy, this is a good thing. You  _ should  _ be  _ happy _ ...You're gonna  _ save  _ the world.” he turned back to Blake. “Could you imagine that, Agent Belladonna. Little  _ Sally Who-Gives-A-Shit _ , saviour of the whole wide world. I'm a little jealous to tell you the truth.”

 

Baker abruptly turned away from his distraught captive and whistled little tune which caused all the Knights except the ones holding up Blake and Yang to begin pouring out of the tavern leaving everyone untouched except the purple haired woman, whom was dragged out, screaming all the way.

 

The barkeep, who had remained silent and still this whole time, suddenly spoke up, trying to implore Baker. He voice was trembling and thick with emotion “Wait! don’t take her she’s my daug-” 

 

**_*BANG*_ **

 

A bullet fired from Baker’s previously holstered weapons, a pair of tonfa that doubled as rifles, struck the barkeep square in the forehead, sending his body tumbling to the ground with a thud. Many patrons gasped and other began to weep, Blake and Yang however, remained still.

 

Baker holstered his weapon with a flourish and pulled out his scroll and dialed a number. “ _ Yeah _ . This is Freischutz, I've got the Winter Maiden secure and i've also got her two “bodyguards”. Making my way to Fischerdorf. What’s your status? do I need to rush or no? Will the ship be ready?”  he made a hand gesture and the Knights holding Blake and Yang began to stand them up and walk them out of the tavern, Yang haven given up her struggle.

 

Baker or as he was now confirmed as Cerise Freischutz, continued on with his conversation as he lead his little convoy through the frozen streets of Eishaus, strangely only two Knights were carrying the still struggling Winter Maiden, the dozen or so, from the tavern appearing to have vanished. 

 

Freischutz was sounding increasingly more annoyed with whoever he was talking to. “What do you mean “she _killed_ the the Karnonos”!? By _herself!?_ _She got away!?_ A-are you serious!?” he put a hand on the bridge of his nose and exhaled deeply. “What about the other one? Tracassin _really_ wanted his hands on her, wh-what!? What’s a _silbberogan_!? Ok! _Ok!_ Are you sure he can handle-”

 

As if on queue, Freischutz was cut off by the sight of a beam of pure white light shooting up into the sky, lighting everything up as if were day for a brief moment before completely dissipating.

 

“... _ it _ ” Freischutz  was completely dumbfounded by the sudden light show, having no clue what it could be...Yang and Blake however knew  _ exactly  _ what it was and how much bad news it represented.

 

While Freischutz was distracted the two pressed their advantage, Yang reeled back her head and slammed it into the Knight holding her arms behind her back as hard as she could, shattering the carbon fiber and fiberglass that covered it’s face, the automaton let go of her as it reeled backwards, sparks shooting out it’s head. She immediately lunged at the other Knight that had it’s rifle train on her, fists colliding with it's metal body before it could fire off a shot,

 

Blake had made for Gambol Shroud, which Freischutz had stupidly not taken from her and quickly used it's bladed sheath to sever the arms of her captor and then decapitated it, all in one swift motion.       

 

Freischutz had watched the Huntresses escape from the Knights with mild interest, these new models were good...but they weren’t  _ that  _ good, he turned his head to the two Knights carrying the Winter Maiden and commanded them to proceed with her, as the two Knights walked toward Fischerdorf, he barked some instruction to his teammate on the end of his scroll. “Go investigate whatever that was! Be in Fischerdorf in  _ two hours. _ ” he turned to face his two ex-hostages, hanging up his scroll and swiftly unholstering his weapons, they had taken out three Atlesian Knight-550’s in under five seconds... _ amateurs. _

 

“Let’s make this fast, Agent Belladonna. I've got a date with the Fall Maiden!” Freischutz charged full speed at Blake spinning his tonfa in both hands, intent to smash her aura to bits, but he was quickly intercepted by a charging blonde, who tackled him to the ground, intent to smash  _ his _ aura to bits.

 

In between rapid blows Yang turned to her partner. “Get the Maiden,  _ quick! _ ”

 

Blake nodded and began to chase after the two Knights but before she could make any headway a large mass of reddish energy appeared out of thin air right in front of her and she ran right into it, whatever it was, was solid _ ,  _ so when she collided with it, it sent her falling backward. 

 

Four Atlesian Knight stepped out from the energy, a  _ portal  _ of some kind, and Blake immediately jumped to her feet and turned to shout to Yang but instead when she turned she saw a grinning Freischutz, who decked straight in the face, hard enough to send her tumbling backward and into the arms of Knight, which then proceeded to  _ suplex  _ her onto the cold snowy ground. 

 

To her credit, Yang had realized fairly quickly when the body she was wailing on had changed from a person into an Atlesian Knight but it was still not quick enough to give her time to warn Blake, _no_ , it was only quick enough for her to see her girlfriend getting _suplexed_ by a robot.

 

This guy was  _ so  _ dead.

 

But before Yang could even stand, she felt the familiar, rough grip of a robotic hand on her shoulder and before she could even curse, a very similar robotic hand connected with her jaw, followed by several more, from seemingly every direction. 

 

This guy was  _ sooooo  _ dead!

 

Blake struggled to her feet, was she seriously just  _ suplexed? _ And was charged by the four Knights, their armor was strong and their A.I. had definitely improved from earlier versions, but they still had the same weaknesses, the poor armoring around their joints were still very easy targets to hit,  _ especially  _ with blades like hers.

 

Freischutz didn't charge in to help his robotic compatriots and instead watch Blake dice them to pieces, with the same stupid bemused smile on his face, he nodded his head, seemingly in approval of her quick dispatchments of the Knights. “I'm impressed Agent Belladonna...these things were marketed to us as “ _ The New Anti-Hunter Weapon _ ” but you're making me consider a refund.”

 

Blake took a defensive position, both her blades at the ready for whatever this  _ asshat  _ had planned. “I think you’ve just got some bad luck, i've been fighting these things since I was a kid. It's basically second nature by this point.” the raven haired woman craned her head to see the dogpile of Knights that were on top of Yang and smirked. “Yeah you definitely have bad luck.”

 

Freischutz laughed a wheezing laugh at this, literally slapping his knees in pure mirth. “Y-you think i've got bad luck!? Ahah! Have you seen the situation you're-” 

 

The dogpile erupted in flames, scattering hunks of Atlesian Knight everywhere.

 

“....In.”

 

Freischutz cursed under his breath. “Hey I said she got  _ off  _ on that! That means just restrain her goddamnit! ” and series of new portal opened and Knights began pouring out en masse and Yang was lost in the flood of mechanical bodies. The Tracker looked at Blake with disdain before charging at her, shots from Ember Celica punctuating the silent air.

 

Tonfa and blade clashed together, joined by the occasional robotic limb. A total chaotic mess, Freischutz hid in between the Knight using hit and run tactic to land sporadic blows against the former Tracker and then disappearing using his portal semblance. Everytime Blake sent out one of her clones, they were quickly dispersed by the Knights and that’s when Freischutz would appear. She was caught up in his rhythm.

 

But rhythms  _ were  _ predictable.

 

Blake sent out another clone which was quickly dissipated, she focused her senses and waited for the split second for her prey to show himself. In an instant Freischutz was behind her, already mid swing, and Blake swung Gambol Shroud’s sheath behind her back to block the strike. As quickly as she could she spun around, ready to fire a volley of bullets, but when she did she instead saw nothing except more Knights. 

 

Freischutz, who was now behind Blake, smirked to himself, raised his tonfa and swung. He managed to land a solid blow to his opponent's head, making her see stars and knocking her to the ground. With that distraction, he decided now would be a good time to exit stage left, he slipped away, leaving only the Knights in his wake and in a few moments they disappeared into his portals.

 

at least a hundred Knights were destroyed, leaving the snowy fields outside of Eishaus scattered with all sorts of scrap metal and circuitry. Blake clenched her fists in frustration.  _ I can't believe I fell for that, he’s as fast as Ruby with those damn portals!  _ She stood up, looking in the direction of Fischerdorf, if they hurried they could maybe catch up with Freischutz and the Maiden.

 

Yang fell to her knees absolutely exhausted, she slammed her new robotic fist into the snowy ground and let out a scream of  frustration, before turning to her partner. “We need to get to R-ruby! Something bad had to have happened! We need to get to her _ now! _ ”

 

Blake knew that she was right, Ruby never used...her  _ power _ unless it was an  _ extremely  _ serious scenario, so that beam of light from earlier was definitely not a good sign, but at the same time she also knew that the Trackers had  _ two  _ Maidens, at least at the present moment and they had some kind of plan to get the Fall Maiden from Oscar, that was also very bad. She had a choice to make, there was only one snowmobile and that was the only way they could make it to either settlement in less than half a day.

 

She bit her lip and looked at her distraught partner.  _ how had things gone so wrong!? _ “Listen Yang, sweetie. I know you're worried about Ruby and I am  _ right  _ there with you, one hundred percent-” Blake moved closer to her partner and cupped her cheeks, calming amber eyes met confused,  _ rage  _ filled crimson ones. “But he said he was going to Fischerdorf, to get the Fall Maiden, we still have a change to stop him, before this gets way out of hand, and after that we can go find Ruby, ok?”

 

Yang’s eyes remained their seering red color and she batted away Blakes hands and stood up, turing her head away from her partner. She took a calming breath, this was her sister they were talking about! How could she abandon her when she was in danger!?

 

Blake took Yang’s hand into her own and gently stroked her thumbs across her calloused knuckles, a gesture she knew calmed the blonde. “Listen you know just as well as I do that whoever on the other end of Ruby’s eyes, doesn’t come back in one piece. She has to be alright, ok? You have to trust me, we  _ need  _ to get to Fischerdorf,  _ ASAP _ . ”

 

Yang took a deep shuddering breath and closed her eyes before she gave Blake’s hand a gentle squeeze. “...ok, Blakey, i'll trust you. Let's get to Fischerdorf!” she turned and gave her girlfriend a bone breaking hug before turning in the direction of Eishaus. “If we grab the snowmobile we can get there in afew hours, c’mon!”

 

* * *

 

 

The sun was just cresting over the Kingdom of Vacuo and it’s largest city,  _ Baagh Shahar, _ the shining metropolis was much unlike the rest of the Kingdom, highly modernized and home to a plethora of corporations and modern indulgences as well as the Tracker Association’s main base of operation.

 

The building itself had a below ground loading dock, used for mostly for transporting prisoners to and from their court hearings or an interrogation, along with occasional supply delivery. On the record Argus Keppel and his partner were waiting for one Roy Stallion to arrive for his first interrogation concerning some stolen Dust.  _ Off  _ the record, however. They were waiting to process Mr. Stallion for something a little different than a simple interrogation.

 

Cyan eyes darted to large almost motionless figure that was his partner, and the large transport gurney next to him, Argus had always had an impeccable eye for detail, he could see the crescent shaped nail marks in the foam padding of the gurney and the old crusty bloodstains that dotted the metal poles that the thing together, you could just tell something  _ bad  _ happened on this gurney and if the visually cues weren't enough, the smell certainly would be...bleach and  _ something else _ , something bodily and rotten.

 

It was enough to make the hardened Tracker shudder, how many people had he brought to  _ this  _ gurney in the past years, let alone the countless others they had. He swallowed a lump that was forming in his throat. He stared down at the pale gold brace around is right leg.  _ For the greater good. Always remember that. For the future. Always remember that. For him.  _ **_Always remember that._ **

 

The loud clacking of heavy steel toe boots on concrete, shook Argus from his thoughts, he turned his head to his partner, trying to hide the cringe that always surfaced whenever his eyes met  _ whatever  _ he was looking at.

 

To the untrained eye  _ Unseelie Macheath _ looked like a man clad in heavy duty combat armor, matte grey and dark green metal plating over kevlar, and a heavy duty green fur trimmed waterproof jacket. He could pass as any regular Huntsman, until your eyes reached his head. The closest thing Argus could equate it to was a large metal bucket with all kinds of rivets and notches in it that was melded to his shoulders making it impossible for the man to turn his head at all. He couldn't speak either, his only form of communication was a small rectangular module right where his neck would begin, with three different colored lights to indicate different emotions. Red for negative, green for positive, and purple for quizzical. Yes, no, maybe.

 

He hadn’t always been like this. But that scarcely mattered now. They all had their parts to play.

 

Currently the module was blinking purple, he had picked up on Argus zoning out, and was aking what was the matter. Even now still he had his compassion, at least a fragment of it. Argus forced a friendly chuckle and glued his eyes forward. “Sorry. Just, a little tired of waiting the boys, I haven’t slept much,these past three days, watching the Xiao Long girl and all.” 

 

Unseelie’s module blinked green and he turned to face forwards. The two stood in a awkward silence until the loud screech of one of the loading dock’s doors opening tore it's way through the echoey room signaling the arrival of Roy Stallion. The black sedan that soon rolled into the dock, looked like the kind you’d see movies being driven around by mysterious men in black, doing dirty deeds for some corrupt institution.

 

The irony was not lost on Argus.       

 

The bright lights of the vehicle slowly faded as the engine was cut and the doors swung open, Agents Kühlen and Comorbid stepped out.  Noire stepping out for the passenger’s side and quickly shuffling to the trunk of the car. Argus turned to Unseelie and gestured towards the car. “Agent Macheath, provide some assistance.”

 

Unseelie’s module blinked green once again and he began pushing the gurney to the trunk. There were no screams, or muffled cries emanating throughout the dock, so Argus assumed their specimen was unconscious, a fact that made things a tiny bit easier.

 

Argus watched as Marron and Noire loaded the still form of Roy Stallion onto the gurney and as Unseelie properly strapped him in.  _ Only one thing left to do now. _ “Agent Macheath, Noire. You know where to take him. Be quick about it. We're burning daylight.”

 

Noire gave a lazy thumbs up, that Unseelie promptly mimicked and began pushing the gurney towards the elevator. Argus locked eyes with Marron and gestured for him to come forward. The young Tracker was quick to join his side, body tensed like he was in some kind of trouble. The older man rolled his eyes and groaned. “At ease,  _ Marron. _ Tell me about the mission, how'd you manage?”

 

Marron’s posture didn’t change even the tiniest amount. The only indicator that he was relaxed were his eyes, that had softened from his usual wide eyed glare to something more... _ normal. _ His hand were buried in his trench coat pockets, however, not in a way that indicate he was relaxed, no they were jammed in there, straining the fabric against it's seems. The coat itself was splotched in haphazardly cleaned smears of blood. “Fine, Sir. Nothing of major concern.”

 

Argus clicked his tongue and gestured for Marron to follow him towards the stairs, he always enjoyed taking the stairs, even before his leg needed the brace. It was good cardio and he felt like his leg got stronger every time he climbed a big flight, but after all these years taking the stairs instead of the elevator and he still needed the brace, so what did that say? 

 

The old Tracker glanced at his subordinate as he followed a respectable distance behind him. Marron was always in a constant state of caution, it reminded Argus of a predatory insect, the kind that just stand completely motionless for what seems like forever, and they  _ strike _ , like a lightning bolt. 

 

Argus decided he should prob a little bit more, to see what details he could get out of Marron. “He put up a fight?  _ Stallion? _ ”    

 

Marron remained silent for a moment as if making sure to choose the right words. “Yes, Sir. but I subdued him. He was nothing special.”

 

Argus nodded his head, the picture in his head was beginning to manifest itself. He stopped walking and turned to face Marron, he raised his cane and poked the younger Tracker’s chest with it. “Show me your hands- and take of your gloves, too.”

 

Marron let out a steady breath and nodded his head, pulling his hands out of his pockets, taking off his gloves. Argus couldn't help but smirk, his hunch had been correct. Marron’s hands looked like they were broken, swollen, covered in bruises and cuts, like he’d spent the last hour punching a brick wall for the hell of it. Argus had smirked, because his hunch was right, but that didn’t mean he was pleased with what he saw. “Is he  _ dead _ , Marron? He was  _ pretty  _ quiet.”

 

The young Tracker shook his head and raised his injured hands up in defence. “He’s not dead, Sir! I just got a little carried away...I apologize. Sir.”

 

Argus shook his head, he was glad the specimen was still usable, but there was something a little more pressing, that had him concerned. “Why are you fighting with out your aura up? You're destroying your body, Marron.”

 

Marron bowed his head in shame. Some of his Animan heritage seeping through. “I know, Sir! I’m sorry, Sir!”

 

Argus poked him in the chest with his cane once again, he wasn’t a fan of groveling. He fixed Marron with a harsh glare, they kind that meant business. “Go get those hands patched up, and if I find out you're, picking at wounds again, or fighting without your aura. I’ll feed you to Agent Macheath! Are we clear?” he kept his tone from sounding overly harsh, his threat obviously a joke, to lighten the mood..

 

Marron bowed his head once again before quickly turning to run toward the elevator. When the younger Tracker was completely out of sight. Argus took a deep breath and closed his eyes, the black void his eyelids created began to shift to a  bright cyan that quickly bled into a vision of Marron getting off his elevator and heading to the infirmary. 

 

The old Tracker sighed contently and opened his eyes, soaking in the clear image of the real world around him. Marron was a good kid, with high amounts of potential, but he was severely damaged. Keppel needed to keep all his eyes on him. The boy still had a large role to fill.

 

_ They all did. _

 

* * *

 

 

It took Yang and Blake _four_ hours to get Fischerdorf and things were _not_ good, dawn was quickly breaking and it had only taken an hour into their snowmobile ride for the smoke coming from the village to become visible. When they finally arrived they found only the remains of Fischerdorf, every building had been reduced into a flaming husk and the bodies of villagers and Atlesian Knights alike litter the ground like fallen leaves. It had been a _massacre_.

 

Right before the village docks, where their airship was still  _ thankfully  _ parked, stood a mountain made up of  _ thousands _ of decimated Atlesian Knights and on it’s peak sat a disheveled looking Oscar who seemed to be looking skyward as if scanning the horizon, though he noticed the two almost immediately and slid down the mountain of scrap metal to meet them.

 

He looked vaguely tired, but still had that strange faux friendly smile on his face, which just made him look creepy at this point. “Ah, Miss Xiao Long, Miss Belladonna, what as surprise! I'm glad you're both alright...as you can see things have gone quite wrong here. I've lost the Fall Maiden-” his hazel eyes darted between Blake and Yang. “and I see you've lost the Winter Maiden as well. It’s also safe to assume that the Summer and Spring Maiden have been taken.”

 

Oscar let out a deep breath and held the bridge of his nose, a sudden tension filled the air, it felt as though he was about to explode in anger for a few moments before he simply began walking towards the airship. “I haven’t heard from anybody over communications, so we need to do a search and rescue before we do anything else.” he made a gesture with his hand to follow. “Follow me, if you would.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lot's to talk about in this one I think.
> 
> the hardest thing ive discovered about writing this fic, is how to justify the main characters losing a fight, in the case of Blake+Yang vs Cerise+Fighting Atlesian Knight Team, i wanted to get across that the two, fell into a trap and were overwhelmed. i don't want it to appear like the gals are getting weaker and dumber as the plot demands. and i really hope that came across.
> 
> another Tracker, the goodies don't know about, too! Unseelie was actually a pretty late addition to the bad guy roster and i have some big stuff planned for him that may require a good deal of rewrites...oh well, C'est la vie.
> 
> leave a comment i beg of you.


	17. Pathos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! after a thousand years!
> 
> hope you folks enjoy.
> 
> leave a comment, tell what sucked, what didn't suck

**Chapter 14: Pathos**

 

Weiss stumbled out of the  _ Summer’s Kiss _ , she still felt like passing out but that wasn't important! Ruby was in danger! She needed to help her. The confusing, ominous words of that talking Grimm flooded her mind. 

 

_ “she too, now belongs to the future.” what is that supposed to mean!? What are they going to do!? _

 

Weiss’s brow scrunched at how bright it suddenly was outside, quickly noticing it was the early morning.  _ How long was I unconscious? Dust, I need to pick up the pace!? _

 

She tried her best to run without falling on her face but all she managed was a haphazard stumble, her legs felt like jelly and creaked in protest of every extreme movement she made. Each breath she took felt like it was cutting right through her entire body and it was making her feel light headed, she could hear the sound of something overhead getting closer, a humming of some kind.  _ Am I hallucinating?  _ She thought, still desperately trying to push herself forward.

 

She only made it a few more feet before her legs gave out and she fell. Using her hands to break her harsh fall, sent a wave of pain so strong through her left hand that she felt like vomiting a second time. The sound overhead grew louder and a shadow cast itself over the white haired woman. She drew Myrtenaster, she was gonna skewer whoever or whatever this shadow was and then she was gonna save Ruby! She heard something drop down from the sky and crunch through the snow, getting closer. 

 

She could hear a faint voice calling out to her. “ _ Weiss? _ Weiss, are you ok?” the voice sounded vaguely familiar, the former heiress turned her head and instead of an enemy she saw something fairly peculiar. 

 

She dropped her sword, her vision was starting to get blurry, but she could clearly see Blake standing next to a woman who looked remarkably similar. Maybe they could help her find Ruby. “Oh,  _ Blake!  _ I didn’t know you had a twin _ sis...ter~ _ ” and as soon as the words left her mouth, she passed out.

 

Blake was dumbfounded for a moment, before she noticed the bandaging on Weiss’s left hand, it was almost completely soaked through with blood. “ _ Oh shit! _ Yang! Oscar! We have a problem!”

 

* * *

 

When Weiss awoke, she was laying down in...the  _ airship? _ She couldn’t remember the last thing that had happened to her, she remembered running, running  _ to  _ something or  _ after  _ someone...but who?

 

Suddenly a terrible realization sparked through her brain and she shot up from her position with a yell. “ _ RUBY! _ ”

 

She heard someone curse, before a loud  _ crash!  _ Before she felt a reassuring hand on her shoulder, she turned to see Blake, who was currently trying to rewrap her damaged hand. “Calm down, Weiss, take a deep breath. Tell us where Ruby is and we’ll go find her, you are  _ very  _ badly injured.”

 

Weiss took a steadying breath, like Blake had suggested before saying what she knew. “S-she went to Waldstadt...to help Qrow and Taiyang... _ but _ it was a trap!”

 

Yang, who was currently getting up off the floor perked up at this. “A trap!? You let my sister walk into a _ trap!? _ ”

 

Weiss clenched her teeth, her anger and frustration at Ruby’s actions sparking back to life. “ _ Ohohoho _ ,  _ no! _ I tried to stop her, but she just ignored me and left me to fight a damned  _ Karnonos  _ and a  _ talking  _ Grimm all by myself!”

 

Blake and Yang were both silent, completely dumbfounded once again, they shared a look of confusion between each other before Blake went to feel Weiss’s forehead to check if she had a fever.

 

Weiss batted away her teammate’s hand angrily, absolutely fuming at this whole situation. “I'm serious! There was a  _ talking  _ Grimm! He was the one who bandaged my hand!”

 

Oscar who had remained eerily quiet for the entirety of the airship ride, cleared his throat. “ _ Hmmm _ , I should have expected this. Miss Schnee is right, there is such thing as a Grimm capable of speech.”

 

Weiss crossed her arms, gently as to not hurt her hand and made a dismissive noise. “See Oscar believes me!  _ HAH! _ ”

 

Oscar turned to face the three women a deadly serious look on his face. “He’s one of a kind and if he’s involved in all this business, things are a lot more serious than I thought. That is no cause for celebration, I can assure you all.”

 

The airship fell awkwardly silent. Blake glanced at Weiss’s hand, it was completely  _ mangled _ , it would heal after a few days give or take, though even with the help of aura, the hand would never be the same again. “D-did...the Karnonos do that?”

 

Weiss looked at her hand distastefully, like it was a piece of trash on the side of the road rather than a part of her body, cold cerulean eyes met concerned amber. “I stopped paying attention, it was  _ my  _ fault. A stupid mistake”

 

Oscar cleared his throat again. “Waldstadt is in view, i'm going to bring us down here, we can search the town together.”

 

When the airship touched down everyone stepped out, including Weiss despite Blake’s objections. The town itself seemed to be abandoned, the people must have decided to take their chances in the wilds rather than with what ever had gone down last night, the smell of blood and acrid smoke filled the entire village.

 

Everyone remained silent, cautious of any Grimm or Trackers that might still be lurking about. Oscar suddenly perked up and pointed in the direction of the town square. “This way.” he said curtly and three Huntresses followed behind him, weapons at the ready.

 

When they reached the town square they were greeted by a horrific sight, covered in a light dusting of snow lay the  _ corpse  _ of Qrow Branwen, covered in blood and cuts, one of his arms completely severed from his body, his weapon lay beside him it's blade fully separated from its haft.

 

An Unconscious Taiyang also lay in pile of snow, frozen and flaking blood smeared all over his face his right eye completely swollen shut.

 

A unmistakable red cloak was also buried in the snow, along with Crescent Rose in its compact form, their owner nowhere to be seen.

 

Oscar began to slowly walk toward Taiyang, as if totally unaffected by the scene around him. Blake remained still stunned totally silent, Yang ran toward her uncle’s body, tears forming in her eyes, and Weiss simply fell to her knees.

 

Yang held her uncle’s body and began freely sobbing, she couldn’t even form any kind of words at all, Blake was quick to join her side and Yang almost instantly buried herself in her girlfriend’s shoulder, crying even louder as Blake ran her hands through her hair.

 

Over the sounds of Yang’s cries, the stirrings of Taiyang as he regained consciousness could barely be heard, Oscar offered him a hand and helped him to his feet. “What happened hear Mr. Xiao Long? Where is Miss Rose?”

 

Taiyang ran a hand through his greying hair and grabbed a handful of snow, using it to clean is his face, shook his head and chuckling sadly. “Grimm, hundreds of ‘em. Pouring from every direction, we managed to beat them back but that guy from the picture, with the eyes...he showed up and he was fucking with our heads- ” he began to laugh but that laugh slowly divulged into tears. “D-dumbass thought he could take him, got some hits in...but he...he-” a particularly powerful sob racked Taeyang's whole body. “He managed to tank R-ruby’s eyes and I was too conked out to do anything, so he just... _ took _ her.”

 

Yang let go of Blake and ran into her father’s arms and they both just held each other and cried.

 

Blake turned her gaze to Weiss, who simply stared at the ground with lifeless eyes, clutching herself and shaking ever so slightly. She stood herself up and was about to try comforting the fromer heiress when she heard Yang murmuring something before-

 

“ _ YOU!  _ THIS IS ALL  _ YOUR  _ FAULT!” Yang had stopped embracing her father and was stomping towards Blake, her eyes as red as blood and filled intense rage, but also an intense  _ hurt _ . “ _ YOU _ TOLD ME RUBY WAS GOING TO FINE! WE COULD HAVE SAVED HER  _ AND  _ QROW!” she reeled back her fist readying a savage blow and Blake was so shocked she had no clue what to do, but before the blow could make contact, Oscar appeared in between the two and caught the punch.

 

“ _ Let _ .  _ Go _ .” she gritted out before throwing another punch with her prosthetic, which Oscar also caught.

 

“I don’t think I will Miss Xiao Long. Miss Belladonna is not the one at fault here, I will let go when i'm sure you won’t try to hurt her.”

 

Yang’s eyes seemed to fill with even more anger. “You know _ what? _ You're right, it's not Blake’s fault it’s  _ yours!  _ This was  _ your  _ problem to begin with!” she reeled back her head and head butted Oscar with all her might.

 

The young man flinch slightly but other than that he did not move, he narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, as he slowly began twisting Yang’s left wrist, she grit her teeth, obviously trying to fight back but to no avail. “You are becoming  _ hysterical _ , Miss Xiao Long. I believe it would be correct to say that the ones who at fault are, in fact not myself or your partner, but our enemies. I'm going to let go of your arms and you are going to gather yourself. I am the one to thank for your new prosthetic,  _ even though _ it was a gift, I believe you owe me this much courtesy.” 

 

Oscar let go of Yang’s arms and she stormed off, Blake chasing after her. He turned to Weiss who was still unmoving, he rolled his shoulders and turned to Taiyang, who was wiping away some of his stray tears. “I'm sorry about Yang, Ozp- _ Oscar _ . Us Xiao Long’s are an emotional bunch. I can’t believe she almost hit Blake, though.’”

 

The young man shook his head. “It’s quite alright. This is...a terrible turn of events. Tensions are extremely high, it becomes easy to cast blame on others” his gaze drifted to Qrow, he looked almost peaceful, that was comforting. Then he looked to Weiss again. “Your daughter’s lover appears to have gone catatonic, could you bring her back to the airship? I will remain here and deal with Qrow’s remains.”

 

Taiyang nodded solemnly. He gave Weiss a once over and walked over to Ruby’s things, slinging Crescent Rose over his shoulder and taking his daughter's cloak, he wrapped Weiss in it and then gingerly picked her up, unsure if the woman was going to fight him or not, when she didn't fight back or make any kind indication of anything, he carried her back to the airship.

 

Soon Oscar was alone. He knelt down next to Qrow’s body and reached into his shirt, retrieving the man’s signature flask, he shook it, hearing the remaining liquid slosh around inside. A wave of melancholy washed over Oscar as he uncapped the flask and poured it's remaining contents onto the frozen cobble ground of Waldstadt’s town square, a type mourning ritual he ha remembered from a time long ago.

 

Memory was a strange phenomenon when it came to Oscar, he had lived thousands of lifetimes over thousands of years, so one would think his head would be amiss with rouge reveries from ages long past, but that was not the case. As new memories were introduced, the old were pushed away and forgotten like a normal person, but if giving the right stimuli, memories from thousands of years in the past could resurface as if they had happened yesterday. It was quite annoying, each life had been different from the next, so, at least to Oscar, they seemed like the memories of a  _ stranger _ .

 

Oscar had three sets of memories for Qrow, two belonged to Ozpin and one was his own. Ozpin remembered Qrow as a student with great potential, struggle between what his tribe wanted and what  _ he  _ wanted. He also remembered Qrow...as a friend and colleague, someone he could trust, someone who shared his ideals. Oscar, on the other hand saw Qrow as a mentor of sorts, when Ozpin’s voice fell silent, it had been Qrow who helped him reach his full potential. Now, however, this man was gone, another casualty in this war with no meaning. Someone’s desperate bid for power? Someone’s desperate bid for  _ something. _

 

What was that something? He still did not know. But the whole affair reeked of some kind of  _ desperation _ .

 

Oscar took one last memento from Qrow, his necklace, before standing back up and taking one last look around the square. 

 

“so... _ Edwin _ , just  _ what  _ game are you playing at?”

 

* * *

 

 

Yang was furious beyond even her own belief. She was furious at the those Tracker bastards for kidnapping her sister and  _ killing  _ her uncle. She was furious at Oscar, for dragging everyone into this mess. She was furious at the fucked up world she lived in, the world that would let all of these terrible things happen. But most importantly... 

 

She was furious at  _ herself,  _ for almost  _ hitting  _ Blake, for something that was  _ far  _ out of her control. What kind of a person did that to their significant other? A shitty one, a really shitty one, someone like  _ Adam Taurus _ did that.

 

At the mere thought of  _ that  _ name made Yang’s whole body tense with even more fury, she screamed at the top her lungs and punched a hole into the wall of a cabin she had been standing next to. The anger slowly transition to a deep despair, she had been in a funk ever since her match with Noire but now things were getting out of hand, what was the  _ matter  _ with her!?

 

“ _ Y-Yang? _ ” When she heard the soft voice of her partner, Yang jumped but refused to turn around and face the source of the voice. Shame and remorse burned through her body like an acid stripping back his skin and exposing all her nerve endings, it made her tremble, like she had hypothermia. Except for her face, she could feel the warm tracks of tears pouring down her cheeks, they had never really stopped since she saw her uncle.

 

Yang swallowed thickly and opened her mouth to speak, but only pitiful whimpers managed to escape from her lips. She tried taking a deep breath to calm herself, but it only got caught in her throat. She could hear Blake getting closer and that made her heart drop into her stomach.

 

“ _ GET BACK! _ ” She yelled, much louder than she intended, but it succeeded in halting Blake’s approach. “ _ Please, Blake. _ Just leave me alone. I’m a terrible person.. _.just let me be. _ ” Yang had decided that maybe Blake was better off without her, she didn't need  _ another  _ toxic relationship under her belt. 

 

When she felt Blake's hand on her shoulder, some kind of dam must have broke because her legs gave out and she fell to the ground sobbing even harder than before. Blake wrapped her arms around her partner in a light embrace. “ _ Yang _ …you're  _ not  _ a terrible person. Your emotions just overwhelmed you, is all. Your uncle... _ Ruby _ . It was a lot to process.”

 

Yang shifted so she could bury her head in her partner’s shoulder, once again. She wrapped her arms around Blake returning her embrace. “I’m-I’m sorry! I’m *hic* so f-fucking sorry!”

 

Yang whimpered those three to four words over and over like some kind of chant, shaking like a leaf and bawling her eyes out the entire time. It broke Blake’s heart, it was obvious that her partner sorely regretted what she did. Yang was an extremely emotional person  _ especially  _ when it came to family, and after seeing her uncle lying dead in the snow and hearing the news that her little sister had been kidnapped, Blake could understand her anger.

She ran her hands through, thick golden locks. “It’s alright, Yang. I forgive you.  _ It’s alright _ .” she tried her best to sound reassuring for her emotionally unstable girlfriend, but it didn’t seem to work, as Yang only began to sob louder and shake even more. So Blake decided to play her trump card, she pulled back from the embrace for a moment, so she could her partner’s face, she cupped her damp cheeks, looked right into her bloodshot violet eyes with as much love and adoration she could manage, and  _ kissed  _ her.

 

Ever since Haven, Blake thought Yang’s kisses were electric, they gave her goosebumps and made her tingle all over, they made her chest ache, but in a good way. Even now it was still the case, even on one of the worst days of her life, they were still magical.

 

After what felt like a hundred years, and at the same time only a few fleeting moments, the two parted from their kiss and locked eyes once again. Yang had stopped crying, but she still looked disgusted with herself, after a few moments she tore her gaze away from Blake’s to look at the ground.

 

“ _ I'm so scared, Blakey. _ ” it was the tiniest of whispers, but Blake heard it.

 

“What are you scared of, Yang?” was the raven haired woman’s equally quiet of a reply.

 

“ _ Becoming like Adam. _ ”

 

* * *

 

 

Taiyang set Weiss down on the airship’s on board medical table, the entire walk from the town square to the ship the woman had remained silent and that still remained true now. He was terribly worried, to say the least, and not just about Weiss, but both his daughters as well. Yang was breaking down and lashing out and Ruby,  _ Dust _ , she’d been hauled off to  _ gods  _ know where.

 

He sat down and let out a deep sigh, leaning forward, he put his head in his hands. “ _ Dust _ ...Summer, I don't know what I’m supposed to do? I’m so  _ lost  _ without you.” he whispered to himself, a coping mechanism of sorts. In the worst of situations, Taiyang would try to ask Summer for some kind of guidance, but she never answered and he knew that wasn’t her fault, he knew that if she could come knock some sense into him, she would have a long,  _ long  _ time ago.

 

He flicked his head back up and stared at Weiss, who was still completely shut down, light blue eyes, glazed and glassy, trying to burn a hole into the airship’s hull. She must have notice his staring because she eventually turned her head to look him dead in the face.

 

The young woman looked like she’d been through hell and back, and she probably had been, all things considered, if the bandaging around her hand was any indicator. Her previously emotionless eyes swelled with an intense misery as tears began to fall from their corners. She pulled Ruby’s cloak tighter around her now shaking form. “I-i-it’s not  _ fair! _ ” was all she managed to croak out.

 

Tai immediately rushed to Weiss’s side, his fatherly instincts taking control. He put a comforting arm around the former heiress and tried to think of something reassuring to say about this awful situation. “H-hey I know, it’s not fair, but we gotta try and stay positive,  _ right!? _ ”

 

_ That didn’t sound very convincing. _

 

Although much to the older man’s surprise, Weiss laughed through her tears. “ _ Gods _ , you sound just like her. Now I know where she gets that  _ insufferable  _ optimism from.” 

 

Taiyang couldn't help but smile at that. Truth be told he was having a hard time keeping up this optimism of his, his soul felt like it was being torn to shreds, he and Qrow had always been at odds, and things were never the same after Summer was gone, but he  _ never  _ hated him, as much as he wanted to sometimes,he just couldn't, he was family. Ruby was her mother through and through and that had originally been something that was  _ very  _ hard on Taiyang, when Summer died he could barely stomach even  _ looking  _ at his daughter, let alone raising her. It was something he was still very much trying to atone for. By his standards, however, he was doing an awful job, if he had been smarter, or stronger, maybe she would still be here instead of... _ somewhere else _ .  

 

“Well I am her Father, after all.” he joked but when the woman didn't seem to find it funny, he got a little more serious. “ _ Listen _ , Weiss, we’re gonna get her back, alright? And then we can both chew her out for being too brash for her own good!” he gave the young woman his best hundred megawatt smile. He couldn't be there for his youngest right now, and his oldest was having her own heart to heart, so for now Tai thought he could settle for comforting Ruby’s girlfriend. 

 

She laughed again, but it was a sad laugh that was immediately cut short by a small hiccup and more sobbing. “I was so,  _ so  _ angry at her, when she left to help you...but when the Grimm told me she had fallen into a trap. I was  _ terrified.-”  _ Weiss’s speech was cut of by another series of hiccups and shuddering breaths. _ “ _ I tried to get here to help, but I was too injured. I wasn't strong enough to save her. I feel like  _ such  _ a failure...s-she probably t-thinks I  _ hate  _ her!”

 

Taiyang was a bit shocked at Weiss’s words. He recalled Ruby mentioning that she often times blamed herself for things far outside of her control, now must have been one of those times. “You can’t let your brain make a bad situation worse, Weiss. Now’s not the time for taking or assigning blame. We need to be strong...if we're gonna save Ruby and those girls. As hard as that may be.”

 

Weiss shook her head in agreeance, using Ruby's cloak to wipe away her tears. Tai was right, she had no clue what her partner was suffering through right now, or how she was feeling and as much as that killed her inside, Weiss knew she had to overcome the pain, so she could put her full effort into saving her precious dolt. Once the excess hiccups died down the former heiress steeled herself, gone was the sadness and emptiness, now replace with a cold determination. 

 

“You're right, Tai. absolutely right, I need to be strong for  _ her. _ ” she said, her voice sounding more like her usually stoic self. “Thank you for...for you're  _ inspiring  _ words.”

 

Taiyang laughed heartily and gave the former heiress a soft hug. “You're  _ family _ , Weiss! Helping each other through the tough times is what family does!” the man’s words were sincere and held a certain warmth to them that threaten to make Weiss misty eyed once again. For all intents and purposes Weiss had no family, not anymore, legally speaking she was no longer a Schnee. Winter still loved her and they communicated as often as possible, but a combination of their childhood’s skewed definition of affection and Winter’s military training still left things... _ lacking. _ What she felt with Ruby, Yang, Blake, and to a lesser extent Tai, that was what she had imagined what having a loving family to be like, in fact it was even better. 

 

_ Please be strong, Ruby. we’re coming...please be strong. _

 

_ I love you.  _

 

* * *

 

 

The monotonous beeps of hospital room, the feeling of being hooked up to dozens of different machines that did gods know what, these were just  _ some  _ of the things Floyd Littlehorn had gotten use to in his  _ many  _ years of life. Although at this point he wondered of this could even be counted as really, truly, honestly living.

 

When he awoke some odd hours ago, he had discovered he was without his robotic legs and his arms had been replace with flimsy wireframe temporaries. The parts of his body that were still flesh, were wrapped in layers of bandage. Something was covering his right eyes

 

This had been the  _ second  _ time he’d taken on an attack from a Silver-Eyed Warrior full force and walked away, even if he was significantly worse for ware, he was still here. He had won against three of the strongest Hunters Remnant had to offer and...he still drew breath.

 

A modern tragedy to be certain.

 

He heard the soft click of a door being opened accompanied by a familiar sounding stride upon the tiled floor. How many times had they done this song and dance? The legs of a chair screeched across the polished floor as Jonquil pulled up a seat next to Floyd's bed. He looked as pleased as ever, like fox that knew it had its prey cornered.

 

No escape, an easy meal.

 

The man clapped his hands together, and smiled wider than he really needed to. “There’s my favorite gardener! How are you feeling? We almost  _ lost  _ you last night!” disingenuous amiability oozed from his voice like pus in a maggot infested wound.

 

Floyd rolled his one good eye. He was too tired to play Tracassin’s game right now. He pointed a skeletal finger at the noticeably vacant space behind the  _ Assistant  _ Chairman. “Where’s  _ Bucket-Head? _ You send  _ him  _ off to steal little girls for you, since _ I _ got broken?” it was a rare sight to see the blonde man without his strangely headed bodyguard.

 

Jonquil forced a light chuckle, grabbing a clipboard that had been hung off of Floyd's bedframe and flicking through it various pages nonchalantly. “ _ Unseelie _ is below, he’s looking after that lovely little flower you plucked for me.” he tapped his index finger on a particular page in on the clipboard. “ _ But, _ that’s not why i'm here to talk to you.”

 

The older man shifted uncomfortably in his bed, feeling the phantom sensations of missing limbs, a little too acutely, he always felt like that whenever he was stationary for prolonged periods of time. In this room he felt suffocated, with  _ Jonquil  _ he felt suffocated. “Well, get on with it,  _ Assistant Chairman _ . I'm  _ dying  _ of old age here.”

 

The blonde man chuckled again, skimming his finger across the page one last time before looking at the bedridden Floyd. “They did a  _ real  _ number on you, I wasn’t kidding when I said we almost lost you. Your armor was fused to your remaining skin from intense heat, the majority of your epidermis needed to be removed.” he gestured to the bandaging covering Floyd’s chest. “That’s what  _ that’s  _ for. In case you were wondering.”

 

He gestured to the gauze covering the right of the older man’s face. “Shards of glass and and more intense heat, destroyed the eye, beyond salvageability. But that’s not the worst of it.” Jonquil stood up from his chair to move closer to Floyd. “Your exoskeleton is completely scrapped,  _ one hundred percent unsalvageable. _ ”  

 

Floyd looked at the serious face Jonquil was giving him and scoffed. “Give me a new one, then.”

 

Jonquil leaned in closer. “You're new suit  _ isn't  _ ready. I just got the materials I needed  _ yesterday.  _ You’ll have to use your previous one until it’s ready.” the blonde sounded extremely frustrated at that thought, a fact which confused Floyd.

 

“What’s the problem with that?” he questioned. “ _ Hell _ , give me some working legs and could cut through a hundred Hunters,  _ right now.” _ Jonquil should know better than anyone, just what he was capable of.

 

The younger man shook his head, a deadly serious expression on his face. “ _ Listen, Ned. _ We have  _ Ruby Rose _ plus four Maidens in our basement. If you think, Ozpin isn’t going to bring his  _ full  _ fury down on this building, in the next weeks, days,  _ hell!  _ Maybe even hours, then i've got some news for you. He’s already got people watching  _ this  _ building. I  _ know  _ it,”

 

Floyd’s one remaining, topaz colored eye went wide as a saucer, as he howled in wheezing, shrill laughter. The put a robotic hand on Jonquil’s shoulder. “ _ Hehehe~ _ If you think that,  _ Oz _ , after all these years, stands a chance against me! Then I got some news for  _ you _ , boy! New suit, old suit,  _ I’ll cut the bastard in twain! _ ”

 

Jonquil took Floyd’s hand off his shoulder, and spoke almost silently. “ _ I’ll hold you to that. _ ” he stood up abruptly and went to leave. ”You’ll be re-equipped tomorrow, then.” he turned to the old man, one last time. “This is the last stretch...if we pass this threshold,  _ she _ will give you what you desire.”

 

_ This  _ was what Floyd was praying for, it was his fate to torn to pieces and then sewn back together, until someone strong enough could finally put him down. To finally bring him peace.  

 

As Jonquil walked through the dusty, abandoned halls of the Tracker HQ all he could hear was the terrifying cackling of Old Ned Scratch, the howls of a feral beast, no longer a man.  

 

* * *

 

 

It wasn’t long after Weiss had returned,  _ somewhat  _ back to her normal self, that Yang and Blake boarded onto the airship. Both looking completely exhausted, Yang clinging onto Blake like she was her lifeline. The former heiress found comfort in seeing that the two had managed to work out  _ whatever  _ had happened.

 

“You gonna be alright,  _ Firecracker? _ ” Tai asked warmly, trying to conceal his concern. He knew better than anyone how Xiao Long’s dealt with grief and loss  _ and  _ anger, he was barely keeping himself together, if he was being honest. The loss of his last living Teammate still clawed at his heart. When his daughter gave him a small smile and nod, it sated his worry for the time being, he could see how tired her violet eyes were and opted to let her rest.

 

The four sat quietly inside the Airship, waiting for Oscar. Yang and Blake cuddled each other, Tai leaned against the hull in attempt to have a nap, while Weiss tried to ignore how much it hurt for her to not be able to wrap her arms around Ruby.

 

Hours seemed to pass before Oscar boarded the Airship, walking past everyone without a word. When he passed over tai, he reached into his suit and retrieved Qrow’s flask and necklace, giving them to the Taiyang with only a look of understanding between them. He reached the front of the airship and ran a gloved hand through his disheveled hair with a sigh. 

 

“As I'm sure you all know, things are not looking their best. The enemy has us at a disadvantage yet again.” everybody in the airship visibly deflated at the young man’s demoralizing words. “ _ But _ we’ve only lost a battle, the victor of this war...is still left to be seen. The Tracker’s headquarters, as I’m sure you all know, lies in the capital city of Vacuo,  _ Baagh Shahar _ and  _ that  _ is our next destination, more specifically the smaller settlement of Halcón, where some  _ associates  _ will be waiting for us. From their we can chart are next move.”

 

Blake spoke up from her spot from in Airship. “What  _ associates? _ ” Oscar had mentioned that he was working to do something about the Trackers outside of Solitas but he hadn’t given any specifics. 

 

Oscar nodded. “Yes. The remainder of Team JNPR and Miss Amitola, they've been spying on the Tracker’s for awhile now, once we get in contact with them, we can organize a rescue. Any objections?” no one spoke and so he continued on. “ _ Good _ . that only leaves two issues. Issue one being our means of transportation. This airship lacks the fuel to get us Vacuo and the speed to get us there in a reasonable time. So we will need to make a stop in Atlas proper and find a more suitable vehicle.” 

 

Hearing  _ “Atlas” _ made Weiss tense up where she sat, she hadn’t been there since the last time she saw Whitley almost five years ago, the thought of returning to the city where her brother was basically the king made her feel uneasy. She wanted to object but they really had no other choice, if you needed tech of  _ any  _ kind you went to Atlas, so she held her tongue on that matter, opting instead to ask. “What’s the  _ second  _ issue, then?”

 

Oscar took a deep sigh. “Yet again it seems I was withholding information from all of you. The mechanical man from the Photo and the talking Grimm. I know them both and I should have known that if one was involved in this  _ nonsense _ , the other was as well.”

 

Now, it was Yang’s turn to speak. “How the hell do you even know a  _ talking  _ Grimm!?”

 

“I'll be getting to that part.” Oscar replied, sounding like a teacher trying to calm a rowdy classroom. “I mentioned that Floyd Littlehorn, may be the mastermind behind all this. He is an old associate of mine and when I say old, I  _ mean  _ very old. Floyd is over 110 years old...and his name isn't even Floyd.” Oscar took another deep breath. “His real name is Edwin Scratch, or as he was better known  _ Old Ned Scratch, _ he is a very skilled Huntsman, with a semblance that allows him amplify the emotions of anything with a conscious mind within a close proximity.”

 

Weiss was completely awestruck by what she was hearing, she knew now that Ruby was right about Hellions but about that myth too!? “Ned Scratch is  _ real!? _ ” was all she managed to blurt out.

 

Oscar acknowledge Weiss’s outburst with a curt “ _ Quite _ ” before continuing with his story. “I discovered him at young age, he was hunting Grimm all by himself with no aura or competent training, I saw a great potential, so I took him under my wing and trained him in the ways of combat.” he fell quiet for a few moments, as if remembering something. “At one point he was strong enough to best me in single combat. But now, his body is old and twisted, I had no idea he was capable of fighting anymore. He obviously needs some kind of mechanizations to fight now. Even still, he is a force to be reckoned with.”

 

Blake and Yang were both shocked by this revelation, Scratch was over a hundred years old and still strong enough to win a three on one. Blake, however, also had a very important question for Oscar. “How does the talking Grimm, the Hellion related to all this?”

 

Oscar nodded his head. “I  _ was  _ getting to that. You see, a long time ago, Salem managed to seduce the Fall and Spring Maidens and thus acquired the Relics of Knowledge and Choice. With these Relics she created a new breed of Grimm, the  _ Hellion. _ Smarter and more critical than any other Grimm, Hellions were not mere mindless beasts. They could speak, and think, they gave themselves names and commanded their own hordes of Grimm.” 

 

Everyone aboard the airship was captivated than the larger than life tale Oscar recounted to them, intrigued and anxious in equal measure. “In the beginning the hundred or so Hellions Salem created served as her generals, spreading death and destruction across the land with terrifying efficiency. Overtime, however, the Hellions grew tired of serving someone else and because of their gift of choice, they chose to walk their own path, scattering across all Remnant, like bandit tribes.” 

 

Oscar’s face yet again shifted, like he was reliving a bad memory. “Time passed and I reclaimed the Relics  _ but  _ the Hellions would still remain a problem, even as I trained young Edwin, they were still running rampant-” Oscar melancholic expression shifted to a small smile for only the barest of moments. “Until we met Bosch. A Hellion who claimed he didn’t want to kill humans, much unlike his ilk.  _ No _ , instead he wanted to help me in my mission to defeat the forces of darkness, starting with the Hellions... _ Together _ the three of us raised any army and traveled from one Kingdom to the next with Bosch’s guidance until he was the only one left.”

 

A connection finally clicked on in Weiss’s head, one that should have been obvious in hindsight. “Wait! When you say Bosch. Do you mea-” 

 

“ _ Yes _ .” Oscar cut the heiress off swiftly, returning to his story. “After everything was said and done, Bosch said that we should try to wipe the Hellions from history, so he wrote the first comprehensive encyclopedia on Grimm, as Hamnet Bosch and created the Old Ned Scratch myth to both discredit their existence and inspire more everyday people into facing the Grimm...it was the prototype of Hunters, the first hints of what was to come.”

 

“You three sounded pretty close, how did they become your enemies?” Yang asked, it was obvious that something  _ had  _ happened, but what?

 

“We had a disagreement, after the Great War. the two were very enthusiastic about how they wanted to defeat Salem, different ideas on how things should be. When we parted ways, I thought...I thought we were on better terms, I'm not sure what’s changed so suddenly.” was his reply, traces of sadness and maybe regret could be heard in his voice.

 

“I have no clue what they're after.” 

* * *

 

 

“They still have  _ no clue _ what we’re after and I intend to keep it that way, gentlemen.” Jonquil Tracassin spoke matter-of-factly, gesturing with the hand that was holding his glass of chardonnay to Argus and Bosch. The three were currently sitting in the Assistant Chairman’s office, celebrating a job well done and discussing plans for the future. 

 

“We’re at the final stretch, we just need to hold out a little longer. ” Jonquil smiled brightly at his two colleagues, how many years had this plan been in motion, how much had they done to see it through to the end? However much it was...it was worth it, it  _ had  _ to be.

 

Bosch took his glass with clawed finger and raised it. “Here,  _ here! _ To a brighter tomorrow, I say.” the Grimm slammed back his drink with complete ease.  

 

Argus leaned forward in his chair, hands resting on his cane, his drink forgotten and his face all business. He had never been one for celebration or sentiments of any kind, really. “What’s our next plan of attack? How should we proceed in the coming days? We know Ozpin is coming.”

 

Jonquil took another sip of his wine before gently placing his glass down on his desk. He sat up from his chair and turned to face the large window behind him, admiring the beauty of Baagh Shahar in a it’s modernist glory, so distinctly unVacuan. “He’s been  _ watching  _ us, according to your reports at least, Argus. Do you think they're somewhere close by?” 

 

Argus also stood up from his chair, joining Jonquil at the window while Bosch poured himself another glass of wine. He pointed to the horizon, to the barely recognizable silhouette of Halcón, the neirbohring city. “Whoever's been watching us is good, very good, they stay far away from the building, watch us from a distance.” he gestured to the rooftops of the various business buildings next to Tracker HQ. “But if they stayed in Baagh Shahar, i'm certain we would have found them by now. They have to outside the city limits, Halcón makes the most sense. We have no presence there anymore. Shade Academy is there, maybe Ozpin is pulling on some of his older contacts.”

 

Jonquil nodded his head, Argus’s logic made sense, it was the perfect hiding place, not too close, not too far. Some old friends,  _ maybe _ ...everything seemed to check out. He turned to his Grimm colleague currently polishing of the remainder of the chardonnay bottle. “What do you think, Bosch? About  _ Halcón? _ ”

 

The Grimm snapped to attention turning his horned head to stare at the other men, sheepishly placing the now empty bottle onto Jonquil’s desk. “ _ Halcón,  _ you say?  _ Asombroso!  _ Such a cozy, nostalgic aesthetic for such a large settlement!  _ Jonquil _ , do you remember that little cafe you’d always go to study in!? Their iced coffee was truly remarkable!”

 

Jonquil laughed lightly as a sudden rush of memories came flooding back to him. That had been back when he was still studying at Shade...it felt like it had been ages ago, probably because it had. He was an old man now, the thought never really occurred to him before, when he looked at Argus he could really see it but when he looked at himself...it never really registered, a wrinkle here or there, the occasional grey hair, a lack of energy now and again. He was sixty years old now and his life’s work was finally about to bear fruit. 

 

“Yes I remember, Bosch. It was some good coffee” Jonquil smiled at his Grimm friend. He turned back to Argus and snapped his fingers. “Take Noire and Cerise with you to  _ Halcón _ post haste, we need to move while we’re ahead...and while you're at it track me down some of that coffee.”

 

Argus nodded his head wearily, a bit perplexed by the eccentricity of his superior. The two had know each other for a very long time, they had been teammates at Shade... _ and _ before. He knew Jonquil better than most, which really meant something since he believed he had an immaculate judge of character. On a cursory glance Jonquil seemed like an absent minded fellow,  _ quirky _ , almost like an airhead.  _ That  _ was his cover, a mask, a persona that he paraded around for the the press and The Council. Though at the moment he was smiling and drinking chardonnay, talking about old memories. Argus knew that he was covering something up, something  _ more  _ than usual. 

 

Argus decided not to pry at the moment, it would make things easier in the long run. So he just nodded his head and made for his cane, giving Bosch a pat on the shoulder. “Of course, sir. I’ll round up the boys now.” 

 

Right before he could leave the office, Argus heard Jonquil’s voice, beckoning him to turn around. “ _ Argus... _ do  _ not  _ fail me.  _ Now  _ of all times.” the man’s eyes were wide open, a rare sight these days, that alone was enough to cement the deadly seriousness off the command.

  
Argus nodded his head once more. “Wouldn't  _ dream  _ of it. Sir.” 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry about the delay, God of War and Kulve Taroth came at me in a pincer attack and killed all of my free time.
> 
> also thank you guys so much for 41 kudos! that's an ok thing, right? i have no idea how to measure success on this site but hey thanks anyways.
> 
> more to come, eventually.


	18. Gray Area

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> new chapter w u s s g o o d ? 
> 
> did that take long? I felt like it took long, anyway please enjoy or don't
> 
> go with the flow, Taoism, son.
> 
> i own nothing, especially RWBY.

**Chapter 15: Gray Area**

 

“I don't know what you want _me_ to do, _Weiss_ . Shoot myself in the preverbial foot and for what _exactly?_ ” Whitley Schnee tapped his finger on their father’s will for what felt like the thousandth time today.

 

Weiss huffed in frustration for what felt like the _millionth_ time today. She didn't know what to expect after returning to Atlas after the War and the subsequent trials. She knew things were going to be different with her father’s passing but she certainly did not expect having to argue with Whitley over who would inherit the company. Ruby had assured her that things would go smoothly and with that _damned_ smile of hers, Weiss had _actually_ believed her.

 

_What an awful mistake._

 

“I'm not asking you to go off and become a monk in the mountains, _Whitley._ I’m asking you to step down as acting CEO and give me the position that is my _birthright._ I'm the oldest eligible heir, _that’s_ how these things work!” Weiss was almost seething at this point, her brother had been nothing but confrontational ever since she stepped into his(their father’s) office, what felt like eights year ago.

 

Whitley nodded his head, seemingly in agreement to his sister’s statement but the nasty expression on his face reassured her otherwise. “You are right, Weiss and i'm not sure if you remember this or not, but you are no longer _an heir_ . Hence why the _will_ says and I quote. _“To my heir, Whitley Schnee”_ do you see your name _anywhere_ , _dear sister!?_ ” he picked up the will and almost shoved it in her face, before she batted it away.

 

Weiss crossed her arms and chewed her bottom lip nearly raw. “This is _preposterous!_ I was trained for this position my whole life, Whitley...you can’t take that away from me!”

 

Whitley shook his head angrily and slammed his fist on the desk. “Well then maybe you should have been _here!_ Instead of out there acting like some kind vigilante with your psycho friends and bedding country _bumpkins!_ ”

 

Weiss shot up from her seat, and drew Myrtenaster, in a moment of pure emotional instinct. She had enough of her brother’s slights on her character. She pointed the tip of her rapier right at his throat. “You don't insult my friends...but most of all you _don't_ insult Ruby! You apologize this instant!”

 

Whitley, much to Weiss’s surprise didn't so much as flinch, or seem at all fazed by the blade at his neck, his face only scrunched in disgust. “What? You're gonna kill me because I hurt your _feelings?_ ” Whitley’s hand shot up abruptly and grabbed the blade pointed at him. He stood up from his chair, matching Weiss’s height, blood dripped from his hand onto the hardwood desk.

 

“Father died and you _never_ reconciled with him, you just left and we _never_ saw you again. You and Winter...you both just left, rather than face the music. All the while I was the only one who stayed...and put up will all of his _bullshit._ ” Whitley gritted out, still clenching Weiss’s weapon. Tears crept from the corners of his eyes but not from pain.

 

“Whit-” Weiss tried to say, shocked by her own actions and Whitley’s reaction to them, but she was cut off by her brother.

 

“You and Winter...never much cared for me, because father liked me the most, and that seemed to make you think he never _screamed_ at me or _hit_ me, like he did with you two but he did, only when I felt _scared_ , or _lonely_ , or _afraid_ I had nobody to turn to.” Weiss tried to pull Myrtenaster away from Whitley but his grip only tightened when she did, making pulling away without lacerating his hand impossible.

 

“You would never play with me, or even send a fake smile my way. But at least I could pretend I had a family that cared about me...then _Winter_ left, then _you_ left and I was all alone with _him_ .” the tears continued to fall from Whitley’s eyes and he finally left go of Myrtenaster. He inspected the wound on his hand. “You haven't done anything for me _my_ whole life. The two of you, as far as i’m concerned you aren't even my sisters, _so_ ...why should I step down from a position issued to me in legally _binding_ writing?”

 

Whitley waited for an answer from his sister, but suddenly pointed a bloody finger at her, as if struck by a great idea. “Here’s a better question: if it were me sitting on the other side of this desk, after a year of silence, asking- _no_ demanding for you to step down as CEO because it was _my_ birthright _, would you?_ ”

 

Weiss was speechless, she had never been Whitley’s favorite person, she knew that much...but she never knew how he really felt about her. A barely audible, “ _I'm sorry._ ” was all she could manage.

 

Whitley looked like he wanted to leap over his desk and rip Weiss’s throat out with his teeth but for only a passing moment before it became an emotionless mask. “Get out of my office. If you want to further dispute this, i'll see you court, Weiss.”

 

Without a word Weiss left her brother’s office and silently made her way out of the SDC building  and to where her car was parked. She opened the door and got into the driver’s seat, startling a Ruby who had been asleep in the passenger’s seat, waiting for her to return in the car instead of at their hotel.

 

Ruby noticed Weiss's gloomy expression immediately. “H-hey. how’d it go, Snowflake?” she asked, gingerly placing her arm around her partner in an attempt at reassurance.

 

Weiss remained quiet for a moment before simply bursting into tears.

 

* * *

 

 

The world Ruby Rose awoke to was blurry and spinning, her lips were dry and cracked. She could feel that her arms were bound, her feet too, she was in some kind of gurney. Just where the _heck_ was she?

 

As her vision began to focus she became more aware of her surroundings, she was inside of some kind of glass holding cell. Was she in jail? A hospital? She couldn’t remember what happened, just _whiteness_. She decided to try find some answers. “Uhm...H-hello? Is...is anybody there!?”

 

No one verbally replied to her question but Ruby managed to hear a strange repeating _clicking_ noise, like the kind a light bulb would make when it turns on and then off. Her eyes searched the cell, now that they were adjusted to their new environment she could make out a large figure sitting in front of her, something on it’s chest was blinking purple, the source of the noise.

 

The figure sat motionless, hands resting on it’s lap, heavy duty armor plating covered every inch of it’s body, especially around the head, a large cylindrical helmet appears to be attached at the shoulders, limiting movement around the neck. It was also wearing a large green coat with a fur trim, which only served to confuse Ruby more, she couldn’t decerne if it was a person or a robot... _if_ it was a person, they must have been pretty uncomfortable.

 

Ruby decided to try some sort of conversation. “H-hey do you know what’s going on? _Why_ am I here?”

 

The light on the figure’s chest began flashing red, though the rest of it remained like a statue.

 

Ruby stared at the figure in confusion, she didn't know what she was supposed to do in response. As she sat, or stood, rather, staring at the strange bucketed headed figure, memories began flooding back to her, memories of the last couple days, memories of abandoning Weiss and of her uncle’s death...memories of using her eyes.

 

“Are you a _Tracker?_ ” Ruby asked, even though she probably could guess the answer.

 

The figure’s light changed to green and Ruby assumed that was a yes.

 

She hung her head in defeat, this was a terrible situation, just awful...captured by the enemy and imprisoned gods know where. She wondered absently if Weiss and the others thought she was dead and a knot formed in her stomach. She looked back up at her cellmate. “Are you going to k-kill me?”

 

She tried to pretend that wasn’t afraid but it was difficult. Her aura was still weak, she couldn't fight her way out of this one.

 

The light changed from green to the previous purple, which Ruby didn't know how to interpret.

 

She decided, out of a morbid curiosity, that now was the best time to ask the million lien question about her seemingly mute cell mate. “Are you a... _person?_ ”

 

The light went out for a second but went back to purple, which wasn't at all helpful.   

 

***BZZZZZT***

 

A loud buzzing noise suddenly went off, _some kind of alarm?_ And the door of her cell suddenly opened, the figure stood up from the chair and took a step away from it. A door outside Ruby’s cell opened and a person in a long white coat stepped through, he looked vaguely familiar. The man entered into the now crowded holding cell.

 

The loud buzz blared again and all the doors closed.

 

The man the in the white coat looked down at Ruby for a few moments, not saying a word just simply staring. His bangs did a good job of blocking his eyes from view, she wondered if he could even see with his hair like that. The man tilted his head quizzically. “You recognise me, _don’t you?_ ”

 

Ruby nodded slowly, as if she were afraid of his response.

 

The man began undoing his coat turning away from Ruby to hand the article of clothing to the strange robot-person, who simply held it. She heard the man say. “Thank you, _Unseelie_.”

 

She could see that holstered on his lower back was a large knife. “My name is _Marron-Gray Comorbid_ but you can call me, _Gray._ ” he said as he turned around to face Ruby, who was then greeted by a sight she could not help but gasp at.

 

Gray’s face was completely marred by scars of all shapes and sizes. Tracing all across his sharp jawline, scars left behind by stitches on his cheek and chin, what seemed to be claw marks dipping down his neckline, his lips were so scarred that Ruby could see Gray’s teeth exposed at the corners of his mouth. She absently wondered what one person would have to do to get that many scar in one place.  

 

Gray leaned back in his chair and he brushed back his unruly bangs with one of his hands, exposing his dull stone grey eyes. His gaze was...utterly _indescribable_ , and his face displayed an almost _violent_ indifference that sent a deep chill down the young woman’s spine. “Can you guess why i'm here talking with you?” he spoke liking he was talking to a child.

 

Ruby remained silent, she wouldn’t tell them _anything!_ It wasn't like she had much to tell anyway, she had no clue what rest of the team planning now.

 

Gray reached behind his back and a weird feeling suddenly overcame Ruby, on instinct she tried to activate her what was left of her aura but lo and behold, nothing happened. Gray pulled out the knife Ruby had seen holstered and began looking it over with his harsh gaze. It was a pretty little weapon, Ruby noted almost instinctually. Animan in design, slightly curved with a well defined triangular edge.

 

Gray twirled the blade in his gloved hand, before fixing his eyes to Ruby’s. His voice quiet and sinister. “You have _silver_ eyes. A rare trait indeed, my _mother_ once claimed she killed a Silver-Eyed Warrior and ate their eyes to gain power...even as a child I never believed her.” he suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Ruby’s face and keeping it still, she struggled but the effort was wasted, Gray’s grip on her bottom jaw was _strong_ , she could hear how hard her teeth grinding together

 

Gray traced the blade along the cut she had gotten from that Beowolf in Waldstadt, if left alone it wouldn’t have even scarred, but Gray not only reopened it, he made _deeper._ His face remained an emotionless mask. “But now that i've got some genuine silver eyes right in front of me, I can’t help but be a little curious.”

 

Blood freely poured from the wounds on Ruby’s face but she remained quiet, biting back her whimpers of pain as well as she could, she wouldn’t say a thing! Though much to her surprise Gray didn't ask her _anything_ , he just stared in silence, searching for something in Ruby’s eyes.

 

Gray twirled the blade in his hand once again, purposefully flicking blood into Ruby’s face. “My mother also said “ _scars are something to be proud of_ .” and I couldn't agree less, there is no greater _visual_ representation of one failures than a _scar_ -” he paused as if thinking before looking deep into Ruby’s eyes again. “I can’t think of a greater example than _Weiss Schnee_ , ever heard of her?”

 

Ruby’s eyes widened. _What is this guy talking about?_ She was confused at this strange form of interrogation? _Torture?_ Whatever this was, it was beginning to grow tiresome

 

The Huntress could see a twinkle of something in Gray’s eyes as he continued on. “She’s this absolutely gorgeous _little_ piece of ass i've seen on the news a couple of times, well gorgeous except she got this disgusting scar on her face and I mean _disgusting_. It makes me wanna vomit!”

 

Ruby clenched her fists and made an angry frown. “Hey! Don't you talk about Weiss like that!” she started struggling against her bindings, so she could smack some sense into the jerk! but to no avail.

 

Gray continued to prod further. “Not to mention, she looks like a damn _dyke_ , too. Which is equally _disgusting_ in its own right!”

 

Ruby was getting really angry now. She wanted nothing more to smack Gray senseless and teach him some proper manners. “How c-could you say something like that!”

 

The Tracker stood up and poked Ruby’s shoulder with his hand. “ _Hey!_ Why do you even care!? I thought you hated Weiss and that’s why you left her for dead in Heimstätte!”

 

Ruby was caught off guard by that statement so much so that she didn't even ask how he even knew that. “ _Wha-what!?_ I-I had no choice I had to...help my dad and uncle!” she could feel tears pricking the corners of her eyes, the sensation mixing with the the burning in her cheek.

 

She hadn't meant to _abandon_ Weiss, it wasn’t something she did to be malicious!

 

Gray leaned in close again. “Ah yes, you did your uncle a lot of help when you just sat there and let him get killed! Gods, I don’t think I ever seen a worse excuse for a human being in my life and you claim to be a _hero_.” he shook his head like a disappointed parent.

 

“How dare- I didn't let him die, _I DIDN'T LET HIM DIE!_ ” Ruby gritted out between her flowing tears. She was losing control of her emotions and any second now Gray and Unseelie would most likely be vaporized in a flash of white light.

 

Ruby’s eye shone silver for a brief moment, but no great beam of light came forward and destroyed the entire room, instead absolutely _nothing_ happened.

 

And suddenly everything clicked.

 

Gray immediately backed away from Ruby, all the venom and ill intent now completely gone from his voice, now he sounded more _bored_ than anything else. “I think we're done here.” the loud buzz echoed throughout the room again and the doors opened, he retrieved his coat from Unseelie, who then took their seat in front of Ruby again. Gray turned to leave but before he exited the cell, he spoke again. “I would think that one such as yourself would have better control over your emotions...all things considered.”

 

He left the cell and the door closed behind him, with another buzz. He leaned himself against the wall directly facing Ruby, still staring at her intently.

 

The Huntress sniffed back more tears and steeled herself, she needed to keep her cool. She met Gray’s gaze. “You're not very nice.” she said with her voice still thick with tears.

 

Gray looked away for a moment, and stared up at the ceiling before slowly looking back down at Ruby, his stare seemed different than before, as if something about the man had changed. He exhaled a deep breath. “... _no_ . I suppose _i'm_ not.”

 

* * *

 

 

“ _C’mon, Princess! This way! This way!_ ” Ruby called gleefully in her usual doltish manner, smiling brightly as she dragged Weiss through the otherworldly beauty that was the Forever Fall with a small picnic basket in hand.

 

The two( _Ruby_ ) had decided that they needed a break from class and came up with the idea of little romantic hike followed by a picnic, Weiss was hesitant at first but could only withstand the force of her partner’s puppy dog eyes for so long before she gave in.

 

Even the Ice Queen herself couldn't deny that this day was too beautiful to spend cooped up inside listening to boring lectures and taking notes. The sky was the perfect shade of baby blue without a cloud in sight, birds were chirping happily in the picturesque red trees, and the pair had yet to see a single Grimm as of yet.

 

For today, Weiss decided she could forget about all her woes and worries, forget about Torchwick, about the White Fang, about her _father, about everything._ _For today,_ however long it may last...the world was _perfect_ and what better way to enjoy this perfect world then with the person she loved most?

 

Speaking of said person, while Weiss was in her head space, she had lost sight of Ruby in the crimson thicket. A slight worry bubbled in her chest and she called. “Ruby!? _Ruby_ , where are you!?”

 

“Here, _Here!_ i'm over _here_ , Weiss!” she heard a familiar voice call back, Weiss turned her head in the direction of Ruby’s voice and saw the girl standing in a small clearing next to a pond. Weiss broke out into a light jog, as soon as she was by Ruby’s side Weiss hugged her with all her might.

 

“Woah! What’s this for Princess!?” Ruby asked with a giggle, rubbing a circle pattern on Weiss’s back. “Did I scare ya?” she further inquired with a little bit of sly smile.

 

Weiss didn’t answer either of Ruby’s questions, instead she only tightened her grasp on her partner. Suddenly overcome by _fear..._ a fear of loss, her musing of a perfect world now completely tossed away, only to be replace by the singular desire to hold Ruby and _never_ let go.

 

Ruby didn't seemed surprised by Weiss’s behaviour, she only pressed a small kiss on Weiss’s forehead. “It’s alright, _baby_. I'm here, i'm not going anywhere.” she sounded so motherly for someone that was two years younger, nonetheless her words did a lot to comfort the now strangely afraid Weiss.

 

Ruby pulled away from the embrace slightly and Weiss tensed, holding on even tighter. Ruby laughed lightly. “Here, Princess. I have something for you. Can I show you?” at her words Weiss lifted her head to stare into Ruby’s mesmerizing eyes, they were unreadable but somehow still reassuring.

 

_She relented her hold on Ruby._

 

Before Weiss could even blink, Ruby produced a beautiful flower with yellow petals and an orange pistil, the flower shone in the bright afternoon sun like it was made from gold, simply _breathtaking_. Weiss leaned in to see if the flower’s scent matched it’s appearance but right as she drew close a small Rapier Wasp flew out of the flower, buzzing past Weiss’s face before landing on her left hand. Seconds past before the insect, without warning, stung the heiress.

 

Weiss cried out at the sudden pain, jerking her hand away and suddenly she felt another sting on her calf, shooting intense pain all throughout her leg. She fell into the red grass of the Forever Fall, which now felt cold and slick to the touch, the grass was saturated with a strange coppery smelling red residue staining her clothes and skin. It was slippery and her body was in too much pain to compensate, she couldn't manage to stand.

 

Darkness was cast over the entire forest, the baby blue sky was now the same shade of crimson as everything else, once so comforting and beautiful, now feeling oppressive and insidious, so much so that it made Weiss's head spin. The sun had also changed, turning black like soot in contrast to the red sky, the copper smell was so strong now, strong enough to make Weiss want to vomit. She tried to stand on her own again but her body was still wracked with pain. Weiss called out to Ruby desperately and was answered only by the sounds of muffled screaming.

 

Weiss turned her head in the direction of heart wrenching noise, only to see Ruby being dragged away by _thousands_ of shadowy limbs, tearing into her clothes and flesh, she was _covered_ in Rapier Wasps crawling and stinging her all over. Behind Ruby stood a shadow of a man with the horns of a bull, long enough to pierce the crimson sky. Weiss tried as hard as she could to reach her beloved Ruby, clawing and writhing against the slick red grass like a drowning animal but to no avail. _She did not move_.

 

Weiss outstretched her left hand in a vain attempt to reach the one she cared for most, screaming and crying through the intense pain and nausea. The hand, however was covered in the red residue and misshapen, fingers were pointing ways they should not have been able to, cracked bones protruded from tears in her skin, fingernails dangled off of each digit like a fancy bouble.

 

Ruby was torn to pieces by the shadowy limbs. _Right in front of her._

 

Weiss was beyond the capacity to even react as she laid, tangled in the red grass, she felt stern hands latch onto her body and begin to slowly drag her away. Pretty yellow flowers stained with the red residue began sprouting up from the ground en masse as a familiarly rich voice crept it’s way through Weiss’s head before complete blackness overtook her.

 

_“She too, now belongs to the future.”_

 

Weiss woke with a start, chest heaving, a cold sweat forming on her brow. She looked around at her surroundings frantically, somewhat relieved to find herself back on the airship...heading towards _Atlas._ She took a series of deep breaths in order to calm herself, remembering the steps she took with Ruby when she had her panic attacks and trying to apply them to herself but with little success, just the passing association Weiss’s brain had made to Ruby was enough to send a spike of ice right through her chest and make even more tears threaten to spill.

 

“Bad dream, _Ice Queen?_ ” Weiss shot her head up to look at Yang, who was currently sandwiched between a sleeping Blake and Taiyang, she offered Weiss a tired, yet reassuring smile.

 

Weiss’s cheeks grew hot but she nodded her head all the same, tightly wrapping Ruby’s cloak around her shoulders. “How about you? Why aren't you asleep?”

 

Yang’s smile faltered and she turned her gaze away from Weiss to the still sleeping Blake. “I think you can make an educated guess. I’m scared for her, too.” she laughed dryly. “I barely got talk to her when all this madness started and it’s been a couple months since our last conversation over Scroll.”

 

Weiss nodded her head, she understood Yang’s sisterly pain, it had been a long while since her last legitimate conversation with WInter, something about important missions from General Glass, a fact that now, worried her more than ever. According to Blake the Tracker’s had been given access to a new batch Atlesian Knights, did that mean the General was involved somehow? Was _Winter_ Involved?

 

The sheer complexity of it all made Weiss zone out, forgetting, momentarily about her melancholy conversation with Yang, only snapping back to reality when the woman in question plopped down next to her. “You, okay, Weiss? You kinda spaced out for a second.”

 

Weiss tried to shake her head of it’s intrusive and disheartening thoughts, to little avail. Yang seemed to notice as she placed her arm around the shorter woman, pulling her close. The warmth of another was reassuring for a moment but then only served to dredge up old memories.

 

“How were you guys doing? Y’know, before all this... _madness_?” Yang asked quietly, earnestly.

 

Weiss swallowed hard, that was a tough, _tough_ question. _Before_ , things had been _perfect_ in every sense of the word, even though it wasn’t what she had envisioned her future looking like back when she first stepped through Beacon’s threshold. Weiss wouldn't have changed anything. “T-things were good, Yang. We’d take hunts, _R-Ruby_ and I.” Weiss couldn't help but smile at the sudden memories that sprang forth. “We went on dates every Friday night, she called them _“Fun-Fridays”_ , the dolt.”

 

Yang smile grew a little, she turned her head to look Weiss in the eye. “She was happy, yeah?”

 

Weiss giggled involuntary at another memory. “Yes, she was. Everyday... _everyday_ she would tell that was the h-happiest she’d ever been.” an image flashed in her head, an image of Ruby smiling brightly, carefree and filled with love and without even consciously realizing it, Weiss began crying.

 

Yang pulled Weiss closer to her, as she too, was now crying.

 

In the airship’s cockpit Oscar’s grip on the controls tightened, threatening to break the mechanism. He could see Atlas in the the distance, it would only be a few hours before they reached the city.

 

* * *

 

 

 _Hours_ past in total silence as Ruby sat in her cell, the burning pain in her cheek was almost unbearably, Gray was using his semblance, so her aura couldn't even try and heal the wound, _that_ mixed with the overall stress of this entire situation, she could not fall asleep no matter how hard she tried. So instead of doing nothing she tried to formulate some sort of plan.

 

_I've got to think of something!? Think Ruby! Think! There has to be something!_

But the more she racked her brain the more clear it became that there was no getting out of this one even if she managed to get out of her gurney, get past Unseelie, _and_ past Gray, she had _no_ clue what awaited her outside this room, she didn't even know where she was right now.

 

***BZZZZZT***

 

The door to her cell opened and Unseelie stood up from their chair and stepped to the side, the other door swung open and Ruby could hear someone humming a tune, the tune of a _lullaby_ she faintly found familiar. A large figure, definitely _not_ human slunk through the doorway, a tattered brown cloak flowing behind it. The creature slowly entered the cell, with Gray in tow.

 

The creature lowered it’s face to Ruby’s level. The creature _smiled_ before speaking, “ _Comme c'est joli!_ Such evocative eyes you have, my dear!” and then taking a seat, in the slightly too small chair.

 

Ruby was awestruck by the being before her. Had her hunch been correct? “Are you a-”

 

The creature covered Ruby’s mouth with a finger before shooting up from his seat. “I am Le Semeur, El Gamberro, Der Halbstarke... _The_ _Hellion_. But please, _mi querido,_ you may call me, Bosch!”

 

Ruby shook her head. “I-I can’t believe this...what are you going to do to me?”

 

Bosch shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing, I’ve simply come to admire you. _Les yeux d'argent_ are a very a rare sight, and down right lethal to one of my particular ilk,” Bosch began to lean in  closer to Ruby. “to see them up close, tis’ once in a lifetime. _Wunderbar!_ ”

 

His red eyes stared intently into Ruby’s for a long and very awkward passage of time before they began to drift toward her cheek. He gasped slightly before turning to Gray, slightly annoyed. “ _Marron,_ Mon amie! Did you cut the Young Flower’s cheek?”

 

Gray, or _Marron,_ bowed his head. “Please forgive me, Sir. It was _necessary_ during my “interrogation”. She is an enemy after all.”

 

Bosch stroked his fur covered chin, looking slightly annoyed. “I suppose you're right, _Marron._ But nonetheless we _cannot_ let her have an infected wound! We need her in top shape, Unseelie! Fetch me a first aid kit, _con rapidez!_ ”

 

Unseelie’s chest light went green, before they trudged out of the cell and through the still open exit. Bosch returned he gaze to Ruby, slight concern in his eye.

 

Ruby was utterly baffled by the band of misfits before her, even more at the amount of compassion that this _Grimm,_ this _monster_ was showing her. She could not help but voice her confusion. “Why are you helping me? I thought Grimm thrived on the suffering of others.”

 

Bosch laughed as fished a clawed hand through his cloak, producing a silky black handkerchief and lightly pressing it to Ruby’s cheek, and wiping away the blood. “They do, Young Flower. I do as well. An instinct I shall fight until my last breath.”

 

The Grimm continued to clean Ruby’s cheek of blood as he spoke. “My body may take pleasure in the _suffering_ of others but my heart, however... _cor meum_ does not. Human and Faunas alike have parts of themselves they need to supress, I am no different, it is an illness of my mind and it is one I can _control_.“

 

Unseelie suddenly enters the cell and produces a first aid kit, Bosch takes the kit and hands them the bloody handkerchief. He opens the kit and begins rummaging around in it.

 

“If you hate watching people suffer so much, why are you helping _these_ people!? Do you have any idea of what they've done!?” Ruby asked suddenly, clenching her fists in anger.

 

Gray makes a move toward Ruby but Bosch stops him. A serious expression on his face. ”The harshest truth in life is: _creation begets destruction._ In order to make new, you must first remove what is old. It is _terrible_ and it is _ugly_ but it is the only way, Young Flower-” he takes a harsh breath. “And as much as I _hate_ it, we are making new, which means the old must be removed.”

 

“What are you making new?” Ruby asked.

  
Bosch took another deep breath and replied. “ _The World._ ”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh snap, dramatic ending or maybe it's just cliche. 
> 
> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> that dream sequence was super fun to write, and so was the Bosch stuff, in case anyone is wondering, he uses French, Spanish, German, and Latin throughout his talk with ruby, he's a really laid back kinda guy so there no rhyme or reason to what words he says in what language, he just does what he wants since he so old and learned, he doesn't much care.
> 
> mo' chapters on their way and the next one may be very different from the rest but don't hold me to that.


	19. Interlude: Do The Right Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in our first interlude we explore the circumstances that lead to Blake quitting the Trackers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im alive! and have no excuse for why this chapter took so long, but i think it's the longest one yet so i hope y'all enjoy this angsty shit
> 
> i dont own nothing, homie

**Interlude: Do The Right Thing**

  


A cool summer’s breeze passed through bright and buzzing metropolis that was _Baagh Shahar_ the largest and most modern city in Vacuo, it also happened to by the headquarters of The Tracker’s Association. It was currently midnight, _Vacuan Standard Time_ , and Blake Belladonna had been just packing up her cubicle for the night before heading to her apartment to pack so more and then catch the next flight to Vale, she had just earned her first three months of “ _shore leave_ ” and had every intention of spending those precious months in the arms of her girlfriend, whom she had not seen in person for what seemed like an _eternity_.

 

 _But_ those plans had been cut terribly short when she heard the following announcement suddenly blurt over the intercom. “ _Attention. Agent Blake Belladonna, please report to Assistant Chairman Tracassin’s office, ASAP. Repeat Agent Blake Belladonna, please report to Assistant Chairman Tracassin’s office._ ”

 

So now Blake found herself riding the elevator to the 19th floor. Instead of riding an airship back to Vale. she was annoyed but she knew that whatever her CO needed her for, was most certainly important, she had never actually stepped foot into his office before, she usually got her debriefs with Jonquil over a cup of mediocre coffee in the cafeteria or by email. This current situation was all very strange.

 

The elevator _dinged_ , indicating her destination had been reached, the 19th floor of the Tracker Building were reserved for the offices of the organization’s high ranking executive staff. The floor was usually _bustling_ with activity, orders being sent to and fro, Prosecutor teams preparing their cases, negotiations with Kingdoms, and so on. Tonight, however, the floor seemed _abandoned_ , each office Blake passed was dark, in fact even the lights on the floor itself were dimmed.

 

The only source of light seemed to be coming from Jonquil’s office. Blake could see his secretary hunched over her desk going over some files and taking notes, she was so inraptured in her work that she didn't even notice the raven haired women approaching her. Blake cleared her throat awkwardly and it knock the secretary out of her trance with a jolt, she was young, probably earlier twenties, she looked utterly exhausted, dark circles were forming around her brown colored eyes and he shoulder length brown hair was all over the place. The Tracker gave the woman a small wave, she could sympathize with her plight. “I’m Agent Belladonna, the Assistant Chairman wished to speak with me?”

 

The secretary nodded her head slowly. “Go right in, he’ll be with you shortly.” she said in a tone that was equal parts curt and exhausted, the woman most likely just wanted to get back to her work so she could go home, another thing Blake could sympathize with.

 

With a quiet ‘ _thank you’_ , Blake opened the frosted glass door marked with her CO’s name and entered his office, it was large but not garish, most of the space being taken up by shelves holding all sorts of documentation in the middle of the room was a small four person table, which was littered with paperwork, she tried not to snoop but she managed to _accidentally_ catch the sight of the SDC’s sigil on one of the papers. At the very back of the room was Tracassin’s desk and behind _that_ was an end table pressed up against a large window.

 

The window held a breathtaking view Baagh Shahar and all it’s glittering skyscrapers, but to Blake what was far more interesting were the various knick-knacks and mementos scattered across the end table. A small case containing three medals in shape of the swords featured on the sigil of Vacuo, one cast in bronze, one silver, and one gold. _Military decorations, huh?_

 

Along with the medals sat _four_ framed certificates, a diploma from Shade Academy, a Prosecutor’s certificate, and two doctorates one for human biology and the other for Grimm biology. _He's a doctor and a lawyer, too? He’s certainly kept himself busy._

 

There were also photographs and _lots_ of them. A photo of him shaking hands with Atlas’s General Glass, him shaking hands with _Whitley Schnee_ , him and Chairman Littlehorn, a strange picture of him doing what appeared to be surgery on a man with a very strange looking tube-like apparatus on his head, a photo of him wearing casual clothing sharing an embrace with a woman with short blue hair, and the oldest looking photo seemed to be from his graduation at Shade, it was his team, made up of a tall dark skinned man with a brace around his leg, a tough looking woman with dark hair and eyes, along the same blue haired woman from the other photo. The picture had a bit of writing on it, which read. “ _TPAZ: Save The World!_ ”

 

That had been some interesting information, however, the most interesting of the mementos on the end table was the blade currently being held in a very expensive looking wooden case with a glass top.

 

Blake was so caught up in her snooping, that she didn't hear Jonquil silently enter the office and sneak behind her, which was quite an impressive feat. He spoke abruptly, nearly making Blake jump out of her skin. “ _Quite_ a beautiful weapon, isn't she?”

 

She spun around to face her commanding officer, a mix of fear and embarrassment plastered on her face. “ _Assistant Chairman_ , Sir! I-I didn't see you come in I'm-” Blake's rushed apology was cut short by her CO promptly shushing her.

 

“No need to apologize, Blake. This stuff is on display for a reason, anyone's free to look.” He said with a smile that was meant to be reassuring, but with his squinting eyes, it looked somewhat mischievous. He gently nudged past his subordinate and opened the case, retrieving the long sword held within.

 

He held up the blade so Blake could get a better look at it. She had always had a passing appreciation for weapons that weren't her own, although she had never considered herself an enthusiast like Ruby, she could still tell that this blade was a work of art. It's smooth pale blade was engraved in a beautiful floral pattern all the way down to hilt, which had a complex bolt action loading mechanism built into it.

 

“It's _beautiful._ Sir. Did you build it yourself?” she asked, genuinely curious of the true extents of her CO’s talents. She had always heard that was a _“jack of all trades”_ and all the memorabilia in his office certainly attested to that.

 

Jonquil laughed lightly and balanced the blade in his hands, looking it over himself. “ _No._ It was a gift, _actually._ I call it _Chol_ , it's a Dust conductor-sword. The blade's made from pure cold forged Mistrali silver, so it conducts just about any kind of energy you send through it” He took the handle of sword and showed Blake the bolt action mechanism. “I used to carry, these little capsules of Dust and I'd load them into this mechanism, here.”

 

Blake smiled as her commanding officer  recounted the days of his youth. “I bet you caused _a lot_ of damage, back in your day.” She teased lightheartedly

 

Jonquil laughed again and turned to put _Chol_ back in her case, although this time his laugh sounded a little _sad._ Before he took a seat at his desk, Blake heard him whisper under his breath. “ _You don't know the half of it_.”

 

The Assistant Chairman gestured for Blake to take a seat. “I think I've wasted enough of your time reminiscing about my past, let's get down to business, shall we?”

 

Blake nodded and took the seat in front of the desk, she had almost forgotten why she came to Jonquil's office in the first place. She put on her serious face, the quicker this got done, the quicker she could see _Yang._ “Of course, Sir. What did you need me for?”

 

The Assistant Chairman began searching through several files that were scattered on his desktop until he apparently found the one he was searching for. He began looking it over, while at the same time speaking to his subordinate. “Now, Blake. I know you're scheduled for three months of leave and if I know _anybody_ that needs a break more than I do, it's you. You're _my_ best Agent, and one of the best in the entire Association and you've only been with us a year.-”

 

Blake already hated where this going. He must have needed her to do “ _one last mission_ ” before she could go on leave, _Dust_ she hated this job sometimes. Jonquil continued on with his briefing. “But my hands are tied here, seriously _tied_ , if there was someone else I could call on, I would but we’ve got six Agents in intensive care and one missing, presumed KIA. So I need _my_ best.”

 

That shocked Blake. _We've lost an Agent?_ It was a rare case in her experience so far for Agents to fail on their recovery missions at all, so failure on this scale was certainly _serious_. “What's the mission, Sir? An escaped fugitive?”

 

Jonquil let out a sad chuckle, similar to the one from earlier. He slid the file towards Blake. “It's _much_ worse than that.”

 

Blake couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped her lips when she opened the file, it was different from every other assignment she had ever received, instead of some photos of an escaped prisoner or some street thug with a semblance. It was the file for a fellow Tracker, that been marked with a big red stamp that read:

 

ROGUE.

 

But the worst part had to be who the file belonged to, it was the _same_ blue haired woman from the photos. If Jonquil noticed that Blake knew who she was, he didn't show it, he just continued on with his briefing. “Aqua Pastél, age: fifty five. She was...a founding member of the Association, _actually_. But has since gone rogue for still unknown reasons. I need you to bring her in, alive if possible.”

 

Blake was certainly annoyed that she was being sent on a mission right before her leave, she knew she could probably refuse and Jonquil wouldn’t give her much flak but at the current moment she really felt for him, he and this Aqua person were obviously close and Blake knew better than most what it meant to be betrayed by someone close to you. So she decided she would take the assignment, not that she could really refuse. “Do we know her location, Sir?”

 

Jonquil nodded his head in affirmation. “West, close to Vale’s border. The Agent we lost contact with, said she was hopping from settlement to settlement. We’ve predicted the most likely place she’ll stop next, so you’ll take an airship to the Village of _Lagarto_ and if she’s not there, you'll worked backward or forward until you find her. _Understood?_ ”

 

A solid plan, but one that sounded like it might end up being time consuming but then again, they didn't really have any options at this point. “Will I have any backup?” some additional bodies would probably help speed things along.

 

Jonquil seemed to cringe at the question, looking away from Blake for a moment. “No, _we-we’re_ trying to keep this whole situation _under wraps_ at the moment...the Chairman is beyond _furious_ and so are the councils, Agent Pastél was an integral member of this organization as well as the Vacuan Military, she is in possession of many Kingdom secrets, things that would fetch a high price to the right people, It’s all _very_ sensitive.”

 

Jonquil stood up from his desk, and turned to face his window. “Not to mention the Agent we’ve _lost_ ...she was _also_ a founding member, so we're beginning to hemorrhage here, if something happens to _you_ , I’ll have no choice but to bring the hammer down and _that_ will be a PR _nightmare._ The Tracker Association the public believes in doesn’t lose _eight_ times in a row.” Jonquil laughed slightly. “Plus I don't want to have to deal with that girlfriend of yours, even back at Shade, I was never _that_ good.”

 

Blake laughed at Jonquil’s attempt to lighten the mood, she could see he really didn't want to have her do this but like he had said, his hands are tied. Whatever reasons Aqua may have had for going rogue didn’t matter, she was a danger to the public, so Blake was going to do the right thing and bring her in.

 

“When do I leave, Sir?”

 

Jonquil smiled lightly, in what seemed to be relief. “There’s an airship on the roof waiting for you. Once you have the target eliminated of contained, contact me and I’ll send a pick-up team and then you can just take your leave, I’ll handle all the paperwork.”

 

Blake wanted to interject, Jonquil already seemed so busy, so him doing anymore work on her account didn't seem fair. But he simply shushed her and escorted her out of his office.

 

It was a short elevator ride to the roof where she saw the airship and it’s pilot waiting for her. The pilot was leaned up against the hull of the ship, looking up at the clear night sky. When he noticed Blake approaching he turn her gaze to her and offered his hand. “You Agent Belladonna?”

 

As Blake shook the man’s hand she replied. “Yes and you are?”

 

The man flashed a toothy smirk. Friendly but perhaps a bit _too_ friendly. “Names Miller, _Miller Baker_. Good to meet you.”

 

Miller appeared to be around Blake’s age, with a wiry blonde beard and matching shoulder length hair, and his eyes were comforting reddish pink. He looked like a regular guy, although Blake noted he had fairly strong grip, stronger than average.

 

“Likewise. How long will it take to reach our destination?” Blake asked, the sooner she began the mission, the sooner it would be over _and_ the sooner she could have her leave.

 

Miller, looked at the ship and then back to Blake. “With this old thing, probably a couple hours, long enough to have a halfway decent nap, I’d reckon.”

 

Blake simply nodded and boarded the ship, Miller followed suit and within a few minutes they were in the air, making their way to _Lagarto,_ Blake took a seat inside the empty cabin and then pulled out her scroll, grimacing at the idea of calling a certain someone and telling them she may be a day or two late.

 

_Just bite the bullet, Blake._

 

Inhaling, she tapped Yang’s contact picture and waited for her to pick up. The space in time zones between Vale and Vacuo weren't that big so she was probably asleep.   

 

_That probably won’t help._

 

“ _Hey_ , Blakey...” a voice thick with sleep eventually came from Blake’s scroll.

 

“Hi, Yang...I’m afraid I've got some... _bad_ news.” Blake decided to be straight with her, tell her exactly what was going on.

 

” _Don't’ tell me_. You're not gonna be able to make it for tomorrow, huh?” she could already hear the disappointment in Yang's voice, which made her feel like a terrible person.

 

Blake huffed. “I’m really sorry, Yang. something _huge_ happened at the Association, and they needed me.”

 

Yang was quiet for a long while. Before replying. “How long?”

 

“It should only take a few days at the most, I _promise._ ” that was her best estimation anyway, sometimes these kinds of missions could go on for weeks, months maybe but Blake was _trying_ to be optimistic.

 

“Is it gonna be dangerous?” Yang asked in a way that made Blake’s stomach hurt.

 

She couldn't lie to her, not now, not ever. “ _Yeah._ ”

 

A few more minutes passed and the two simply listened to each other breathing before Yang spoke again. “If you get hurt, Blakey...I’m gonna slap the shit outta your boss, capiche?”

 

They both laughed for another passing moment, before Blake decided she should probably let Yang get some sleep _and_ try to get some of her own. “I love you, _Yang_. I’ll be back before you know it, okay?”

 

“I love you, too. Watch your back out there, _kitty cat._ ” Yang said back.

 

The two exchanged their goodbyes and Blake was left only with the sounds of the airship. She tried to get in a comfortable position for some light napping, but she found she was far to wound up. This mission had her anxious. Instead of trying and failing to go to sleep she decided it would probably be a good idea to do some reading on her target. She reached into the inside pocket of her standard issue Tracker trenchcoat and retrieve the file on Agent Pastél.

 

* * *

 

 

_Name: Aqua Galatea Pastél_

 

_Age: 55_

 

_Sex: F_

 

_Height: 6’5”_

 

_Badge #: 005_

 

_Birthplace: Wind Path, Mistral_

 

_Semblance: Aquakinesis, the ability to manipulate water. /////////////////////////////////_

 

_Phys. Description: pale complexion, dark blue hair, light brown eyes._

 

_Bio: A former Colonel in the Vacuan Military, Aqua Pastél graduated from Shade Academy////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////:////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////://////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ://////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ://////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ://////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// :////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////_

 

* * *

 

 

Blake was surprised at just how barren the file was in actuality, only a single photo and the barest amounts of information, some parts of the file were straight up _sealed_ , which was beginning to raise some red flags in her head. _Why would Jonquil give me the sealed version of Aqua’s file? Was the information that sensitive? What is he trying to hide from me?_

 

Her thoughts jumped back to the photos in his office, it obvious he and Aqua had a close relationship, she was a Teammate, they both served in the Vacuan military together, he had a picture of them hugging each other. _Was this for his own personal privacy?_ Blake couldn't help but wonder. The situation was already strange but now another layer was being added on top.

 

Then there was another shuffling in her thoughts, these more sympathetic than accusatory, she wondered what would happen if she found herself in Jonquil’s shoes, if Yang had all of a sudden turned her back on her for seemingly no reason, while _hurting_ people in the process. _How would I feel? What would I do? Would I be able to face her?_

 

Blake wondered to what end did Aqua’s defection served, what reason could she possibly have for abandoning the noble goal of the Trackers, for abandoning someone obviously close to her. It reminded Blake of her days in the White Fang, had Jonquil changed like Adam had? Or had Aqua been the one who changed?

 

The complexity of it all was beginning to become nauseating and it was obvious that she was missing some pieces of the puzzle, perhaps when she found her target she would get some answers but until then all she could do was wait inside the cabin of the airship. How long had she spent in her own headspace, trying to work out the intricacies of someone else’s problem? Blake supposed that it came with the territory, finding out _why_ people do what they _do_ was a Trackers job.       

 

“You get that decent nap, Agent Belladonna? We’re coming up on Lagarto. I'm gonna drop you off a few clicks away from the settlement, so we don't scare away the target. ”

 

Taking a deep breath, Blake sat up, preparing herself for whatever may happen.

 

* * *

 

 

It took only a few moments of jogging in order to reach the surprising bustling settlement that was Lagarto, the place was enreathed with beautiful lush jungle, a nice change of scenery from the endless expanse of skyscrapers and flat desert that she saw in Baagh Shahar. There was a real _clashing_ sort of vibe about the whole settlement, nicely constructed wooden houses next to flat, featureless concrete building, next to _poorly_ constructed wooden _huts_. Certainly unique.

 

Blake saw an unassuming small concrete structure covered in all sorts of bright graffiti literally marked, _El Bar._ The forwardness made her smirk, it's seems they don't like to beat around the bush in Lagarto.

 

Bars and brothels were always the best places to find information in these kinds of scenarios and the Tracker’s had somewhat of a reputation around all of reputation so people were usually pretty forthcoming with information. As Blake made her way to _El Bar_ she noticed she was drawing a lot of attention. Long flowing dusters and long coats had always been a part of her wardrobe ever since the war, so she was glad that it went along with the image the Trackers had created. The coats were used mostly to conceal weapons and protect from the elements but the bright white of the standard issue trench coat had become an unofficial symbol of the Association, so now when anybody saw someone in a trenchcoat and a white one at that, it was safe to assume they were a Tracker.

 

The people of Lagarto were no different, she could hear them chattering and gossiping to each other as she swung open the door of _El Bar_ and walked straight toward the bartender.

 

Everyone inside the establishment immediately froze and went dead quiet, Blake could feel them all staring at her but she paid it no mind. The bartender himself, however, seemed entirely unfazed his eyes darted to meet hers as soon as she entered the bar but immediately went back to the a slouched over individual draped in a tattered leather jacket he was apparently conversing with, something about _cigar brands_ of all things.

 

“I'm looking for, someone.” Blake said as soon as she reached the counter, full serious Tracker mode _engaged_.

     

The man smiled but didn’t answer, instead the slouching individual spoke for him. “ _pfft_ ,I bet you are, _girly_. ” in a distinctly gravely but feminine voice.

 

Blake turned to the other figure and yet again found herself greatly shocked and confused. The other woman from Jonquil’s graduation photo, a member of Team TPAZ, the tough looking woman with jet black hair and extremely dark grey eyes, or just _eye_ was probably more apt as the woman’s left eye was swollen shut and crusted with poorly cleaned dried blood, along with a variety of small cuts and scrapes in various stages of healing, a telltale sign of a fight that ended with a depleted aura and a clear winner.

 

“ _This_ is all the backup Tracassin sends my way?” the woman asked with a lopsided grin before chomping down on an expensive looking cigar.

 

Blake was taken aback for moment. “Are _you_ the missing Agent that was sent after Aqua Pastél?”

 

The woman blew a puff of smoke at Blake. “ _Bingo_ . Sikar, Special Agent _Zephyr Sikar._ ” the woman gave a small mock salute. “Tracassin send you for _my_ sweet ass, or _her’s?_ ”

 

Blake’s faced scrunched at the woman’s crudeness but answered her regardless. “I was sent to recover, Agent Pastél, _yes_ . The Assistant Chairman thought _you_ were dead.”

 

Zephyr laughed heartily, smoke pouring from her mouth, as if she were a dragon. “So, he sends _you_ in, gotta admit I was expecting _Keppel_ , thought we’d have a fuckin’ TPAZ reunion down here.”

 

Blake eyes widen once again, she had heard the stories about Argus Keppel, _The Watcher_ they called him, everyone said he was the best Tracker in the whole Association, he could find _anybody anywhere,_ end of story. Despite the reputation the man had, she had never so much as seen a picture of him, but now she had a face to the name, the man with the leg brace, TPAZ’s final member was _Argus_ Keppel!

 

Zephyr arched her blood stained brow. “What? Didn’t know _The Watcher_ himself was Tracassain’s partner? It’s not really a secret.” she shrugged her shoulders before taking another drag of her cigar. “Or maybe it is...”

 

This whole mission was getting stranger by the minute, an entire Hunter team was involved and Blake couldn't help but feel like an outsider, like she shouldn’t be getting involved but was anyway. She was a Tracker afterall.

 

“Agent Sikar do you know the target’s whereabouts? Is she still close by?” Blake asked, if Zephyr was going to offer her assistance, then she would gladly take it.

 

The older woman simply stared at her. Looking her over with her one good eye before grinning. “Shit, girly. You think I did this to myself?” gesturing to her face with a bloody hand.

 

Blake gave the woman a blank stare and didn’t say anything, when she was in full Tracker mode she didn't have the patience for jokes and snarkiness, especially from someone she barely knew and still didn’t trust fully.

 

Zephyr simply rolled her eye and stood up from her stool, shooting her arms through the sleeves of her jacket and snubbing out her cigar in an ashtray. “See ya, later, Amarillo!” she shouted to the bartender before gesturing for Blake to follow her.

 

When the two exited _El Bar,_ into the cool night air, Zephyr chuckled again. “Y’know, if Tracassin sent you to do this, instead of Keppel...he must _really_ trust you, _girly_.”

 

Blake gritted her teeth slightly at Zephyr’s nickname for her. “My name is Blake Belladonna, please don't call me _“girly”._ ” she deadpanned, already tired of dealing with her impromptu partner.

 

Ahead of her, Zephyr snickered, before placing a blood caked finger on her chin. “ _Hmmm_ . Belladonna, huh? Like from Team _RWBY_ , Belladonna?”

 

When Blake curtly nodded her head, Zephyr simply nodded back, no remarks, nothing to add. They quickly fell into an awkward silence. Until they reached the outskirts of Lagarto and stood before a thick assortment of jungle foliage.

 

“There’s a small river running through the jungle, if we follow it we’ll reach some marshland and we’ll find her in no time.” Zephyr said, sounding for more serious than before, perhaps she was now in Tracker mode, too.

 

Blake turned her head sidelong at the other Agent’s disheveled and bloodied form. “Are you sure your okay to fight?” someone in her condition could easily become a liability in fight, and stand to become even more injured and Blake wasn’t interested in bringing back _any_ of Jonquil’s old teammates in body bags if she could help it.

 

Zephyr scoffed, mildly offended. “Hey, I may be old, and beat to all hell but the last thing I’m _ever_ gonna be is _useless._ I’m coming with you, whether you like it or not...”

 

Blake relented, gesturing for Zephyr to lead the way, if the woman was as determined as she looked at that moment, her words wouldn’t stop her. “Do you have a weapon?” she asked to make sure she didn't have to lend her Gambol Shroud’s sheath.

 

From the inside of her jacket Zephyr produced a rectangular piece of machinery that unfolded into a strange looking bullpup rifle. “I know what I’m doing, _Belladonna._ This is a Dust rifle, currently outfitted with Burn Dust cartridges, i've also got some regular-ass hollow points on reserve. How about you?”

 

Blake upholstered Gambol Shroud and gave Zephyr a good view of the weapon. “The sheath is bladed, and there’s a handgun built into the hilt, I carry around dust infused magazines, one of each type. I also have a ribbon I can tie around my handle to improve my long range capabilities.”

 

Zephyr grinned and nodded her head. “ _Good_ , that’s good. _Versatile_...what’s your semblance?”

 

“I can make a decoy of myself, multiple if I have enough aura and space to concentrate. How about you?”

 

Zephyr laughed a little. “Pretty similar to yours, I can transmute my body into smoke, helps my avoid hits, great way to get around fast.”

 

Blake gave her new partner a small smile and braced herself to broach a possibly sensitive topic. “What can you tell me about Agent Pastél’s fighting capabilities?”

 

The jungle fell silent as Zephyr seemed to tense at the question. The older woman looked at Blake with a smirk, obviously hiding something behind her expression, although exactly what she was hiding, Blake couldn't really tell.

 

“Pastél was always our heavy hitter, in the _real_ early days, nobody except Keppel could beat her. Tracassin was always a pushover and I could just never keep up with her...” Zephyr brought one her bloodied hands to her injured eye. “ _Yeah_ , she got one hell of a right hook these days.”

 

Blake nodded, intrigued by the information Zephyr was sharing with her but not entirely sure it gave her any real insight into how Aqua fought, she was going to ask for more detail but before she could Zephyr cut her off. “She’s not carrying her weapon. But her semblance more than makes up for it, as you can plainly see.” Zephyr gestured to her battered form before continuing. “She’s gonna try to stay close to this river, since she can't create water only manipulate it. She mainly creates tendril like appendages that are fast as shit and hit like trucks. Her semblance has no limits to what she can create, so be ready for anything...oh _and_ she always keeps reserves of water on her at all times, she wears these kind of gauntlets with tanks of water attached to them.”

 

Blake immediately began to try and formulate some kind of strategy. The most important thing is getting Aqua away from this river, second should be dealing with any remaining constructs, if the need ever arises. _Fire seems like a logical solution._ She thought to herself, now beginning to see how she could manage a victory in this scenario. “We’ll use fire to disrupt her semblance, overwhelm her, destroy her reserves and slowly pull her away from the river, then take advantage of her lack of any weapons and subdue her. _”_

 

Zephyr snickered and gave Blake a smirk that was friendlier than her usual. “Now there’s a plan, Belladonna. Better than what I tried, never was much of a planner, myself.”

 

Now Blake only had one more question for Zephyr, a very important question, one that had been in her mind since she got this crazy assignment. ”Do you know why Agent Pastél went rogue? Can we reason with her at all?” Blake was ready for a fight but that didn't mean she wanted one, if there was a chance that they could resolve this without violence, she would try and take it.

 

Zephyr fell silent again, before chuckling, a kind of chuckle that hid a great deal of pain. “Believe me Belladonna, this is a long time coming, we’ve passed a threshold, can’t kiss and make up now. Too much is on the line. Pastél is either coming with me back to HQ with a few broken bones or with a few bullet holes...that’s the _only_ choice she gets to make now.”

 

Blake, not knowing how to respond to the obviously fresh wound she had just reopened simply didn't say anything, wordlessly following Zephyr through the continuously thickening jungle. Minutes passed and with nothing to occupying her mind, Blake was more acutely aware of her surroundings, the flow of the river, the rustling of the trees... _the rustling of the trees?_

 

Amber eyes darted around the treeline, scanning, searching, Blake had just seen _something_ and though she couldn't see it anymore, she could certainly feel it, down to her bones. They were being _watched_.

 

The two were now entering a clearing of some kind, the ground smoothed out from an almost black dirt into a not quite white sand, the river they had been following now stretched out into a large marsh. The stalker would have no choice but to show themselves now, there was nowhere to hide here. Before Blake could warn Zephyr of their possible tail she noticed that the two had stumbled onto what they were looking for.

 

A woman with Blue hair tied in a simple ponytail knelt in front of a smoldering fire pit, roasting a large fish over the flames. Unlike her former teammate she didn’t seem injured in anyway, although even from a distance Blake could see blood stains splattered all over the women's white trench coat.

 

“End of the line, _Pastél!_ We're here to take you in.” Zephyr yelled retrieving her weapon and instantly pointing it at the kneeling woman.

 

On instinct Blake followed suit, train Gambol Shroud’s handgun form at their target, whom remained still in front of her firepit. “I’m giving you one more chance, cause i'm a _fucking_ idiot! Don't waste it!”

 

Aqua stood up and Blake could see the woman frown, shaking her head remorsefully. “ _Zeph_ , you shouldn’t have come back! Especially with a friend... _I won't hold back._ ”

 

Without warning, almost faster than bullets, tendril after water tendril shot out of the marshland and toward the two Trackers. Blake used a clone to take the brunt of the onslaught, Zephyr simply screeched in anger and charged forward, shooting a stream of flame from her rifle, which  evaporated the watery appendages before they could even touch her.

 

Blake quickly followed behind, they needed to overwhelm her. She loaded Gambol Shroud with the Burn Dust magazine as she got closer to her target who was still trying to keep Zephyr at bay.

 

She could see the losing battle before her, Zephyr couldn't evaporate the limbs faster than Aqua could create them, she’d be overtaken in no time.

 

Blake leapt in the air, leaving herself wide open, goading for any kind of attack, Aqua took the bait and shot out another tendril, however instead of hitting Blake it hit a clone infused with Burn Dust, which promptly exploded on impact, serving as excellent distraction.

 

Blake closed the gap between her and Aqua in a second, raising both her blades in preparation for attack, seeing this move Aqua raised both her arms up ready to block the attack, while more tendrils shot out behind her before the tendrils could reach Blake, however, Zephyr used her rifle to quickly evaporate them.

 

Blakes blade soared through air and each one collided with one of Aqua’s forearms slicing through the material of her trencoat and hitting the gauntlets underneath. Water sprayed from the right gauntlet and quickly shaped into a watery arm which grabbed Blake by the neck faster than she could react and began strangling her. Just as her vision was beginning to blur, in a puff of smoke Zephyr appeared behind Aqua and bashed her the the back of the head with the butt of her rifle as hard as she could.

 

The blow caused Aqua to temporarily lose focus, causing the arm choking Blake to lose it shape and strength completely. Zephyr struck Aqua with her rifle a second time, followed by a third and then fourth time before tackling the other woman to the ground, tossing her weapon away, seemingly intoxicated in the ultraviolence. Zephyr dragged Aqua into her still active fire pit, laying into her former teammate with all her strength, as the surrounding embers ensured no interference from her semblance.

 

As far as Blake was concerned the fight was now over, she holstered her weapon and then set her sights on stopping Zephyr from killing their target. The woman’s growls and savage punches reminded her of when Yang got truly _angry_ , she needed to step in and _now_.       

“I think she’s had enough, Agent Sikar...” Blake nudged the woman on the shoulder, to very little effect. “Zephyr, that’s _enough!_ ” grabbing her by the jacket, Blake forcible pulled the woman off Aqua.

 

With the growl that escaped her mouth Black half expected Zephyr to jump her next but was surprised when instead the woman just kicked Aqua hard in her stomach. “ _Yeah,_ _shit-_ I need to save your energy for back home. If you think this is the worst _you're_ gonna get...just you _wait!_ ”

 

Zephyr pushed past Blake and grabbed the now thoroughly bloodied Aqua by her hair and wrenched her from the fire pit, sending embers flying everywhere. Aqua cried out in pain as Zephyr refused to relent her hold on her blue locks and continued to drag her until she was far enough from the marsh.

 

Blake quietly followed and when Zephyr released her hold on Aqua’s hair, she reached into her trench coat and retrieved a pair of handcuffs which she slapped on the already beaten down  woman, not out of cruelty, but because it was standard protocol. She couldn't make exceptions

 

Blake looked down at the sight before her, Aqua’s nose had been very badly broken, along with her right orbital which had a nasty gash that was pouring blood like a faucet. _What had she done to make Zephyr so angry, why had she tried to go AWOL? Surely this didn't have to happen this way, she could see that once upon a time, these two women used to be close. What had happened?_

 

Snapping herself back to reality Blake forced her eyes to meet Aqua’s. “Aqua Pastél, I’m placing you under-” but before she could finish, Aqua groaned aloud, rolling her light brown eyes.

 

“ _Please_ , spare me this, you've got me already, just leave alone.”

 

Zephyr who had been doing what looked like attempting to contact HQ, suddenly stopped and turned to face Aqua. “ _Spare? You?_ You're lucky to be alive, _Pastél_ . Count your _damn_ blessings.”

 

Aqua chuckled darkly. “I _should_ have just killed myself...”

 

With another scream of rage, Zephyr pulled Aqua to her feet, only to get right up in her face. “ _Yeah_ , you should have, if you really think this was all for _nothing_ . All _we’d_ been through, all the sacrifices _we_ made.”

 

Aqua’s eyes went wide and burned with an intense hatred. “It _is_ for nothing, Jonquil can’t change anything, no matter how _hard_ he tries, he just digging a deeper and deeper hole, pulling more and people down with him... _AND I REFUSE TO BE A PART OF THAT!_ ”

 

Zephyr shook her head in an abject refusal of Aqua’s statement before reeling her head back and before slamming them together with a sickening _CRACK_ , which sends her reeling backward tripping over and rock protruding from the sand.

 

Aqua is still for a moment before she raises her left leg and slam it down on the rock as hard as she can, piercing through the material of her pants and striking the water reserve underneath.

 

In a split second Blake remembers that water only came from one reserve when she struck Aqua’s forearm, before seeing the water form a fist that sends Zephyr flying toward the marsh.

 

A moment is all it takes for Aqua to be back on her feet, the new watery limb coming from her calf extends itself and in one quick movement, it slices apart her handcuffs. Her light brown eyes stare down Blake with pure disdain. “Are _you_ my replacement?” she asks and Blake doesn’t bother answering, instead she charges forward.

 

Aqua’s singular tendril proves not as much of a threat compared to her others, it’s slower and has less range but still seems strikes with the same amount of force. Blake decides she needs to simply close the gap and take advantage of her lack of weapons, just like her original plan.

 

But unlike before Aqua is no longer stationary, she rushes Blake, tendril swinging madly as the woman throws a series of kicks. She dodges the strikes but only barely, the patterns are to arratic to predict.

 

Calling upon an earlier tactic Blake leaves herself wide open for a strike and Aqua seemingly takes the bait again, immedatley rushing her down and preparing another series of kicks, the liquid tendrils cutting through the air, ready to strike a clone and be evaporated by a Burn Dust explosion.

 

The instant before the tendril will land it’s strike, Blake creates her clone and dodges the opposite way, awaiting the explosion, which _does not_ come, instead the tendril at the last second changes it’s trajectory, wrapping around her abdomen and pulling her into a hard right hook that leaves her seeing stars.

 

Blake feels two more jabs to the face before she realizes she on the ground now, sinking into the sand as she feels Aqua put her full weight on her. Everything is fuzzy and it’s hard to breath, because there are two strong hands wrapped around her throat. Aqua is saying something but she can barely understand what it is, she can’t focus due to the lack of oxygen, her eyelids feel like they're being weighed down by anchors and she absently wonders if she’s going to die.

 

She manages to hear Aqua say. “ _She’ll never change the world.”_ which is then swiftly followed by the _loudest_ noise she’s ever heard in her life, an instant later something _hot_ splatters all over her face and suddenly there’s something _heavy_ on her chest. Her ears are ringing _painfully_ as she tries to wipe her face clean but no matter how much she wipes at her face more of just seems to drip on.

 

It almost feels like she’s being drown but not by water. The weight crushing her chest is suddenly lifted and someone is sitting her up against something. She never been more _confused_ in her life. Fabric is pressed against her face, poorly wiping away _whatever_ was on it   

 

Blake still cannot hear anything besides ringing, but she feels like she can open her eyes now, it’s bright now, the sun is just coming up. She fights the urge to close her suddenly light sensitive eyes and continues to look around, to her right she sees a battered looking woman talking on a scroll, _Zephyr,_ she remembers and on her left lies a _red_ crumpled thing that looks like a person. It's twitching and spasming, whatever it is. Red stuff is leaking out of it and staining the sand.

 

She looks down at herself, only to see she's completely soaked in the same _red stuff,_ sticky, and smelly, it's only as her hearing begins to return and she hears Zephyr say “Yes we’ve neutralized the target, _no_ she’s dead.” that Blake realizes the crumpled thing on the ground _is_ a person and the liquid she’s drenched in, is _blood_.

 

Amber eyes go wide and tears prick at their corners, as the reality of the situation hits Blake like a freight train. On complete accident she inhales through her nose and the smell of rancid eggs mixed with gunsmoke and blood ruthlessly invades her nostrils, she dry heaves and clutches one blood drenched hand to her stomach and another to her mouth in a vain attempt to stop herself from vomiting but the moment those fingers, still wet with blood press against her lips, the dam breaks and she retches all over herself, until nothing comes up.

 

She’s bawling her eyes out now, occasionally dry heaving as the smell of puke mingles with smell of death. _Yang._ she needs Yang, _right now!_ She calls out desperately like a child calling out to it’s parent but nobody answers. Blake hugs herself and curls into the fetal position, whimpering Yang’s name over and over as if just saying her name is enough to make her suddenly appear and make everything better.

 

_They aren't._

 

When the airships touchdown, Blake has almost completely shut down, she’s escorted on to one of the ships by someone she does not recognize and everything is just grinds to a halt after that, she rides back to HQ covered in her own vomit and someone else's blood, feeling vile beyond compare. In the White Fang and even on her adventures with Blake had seen death and she had seen _gore_ . She still remembered trying to stop Yang from bleeding out, while she herself was bleeding out during the Fall of Beacon. This felt different, though, she had never experienced death so _intimately_ before, the sights, sounds, smells...and _tastes._

 

Aqua was the enemy and she was going to _kill_ her, so why did it make Blake feel so awful inside? Why couldn't she shake the image of her corpse from her head?

 

After what feels like an entire lifetime, the airship lands back at Tracker HQ and she steps out only to be greeted by a concerned looking Jonquil waiting for her. Two men holding rifles are standing behind him, guards of some description. They both cringe upon seeing Blake in her current state, averting their eyes while Jonquil face doesn’t change from it’s current worried expression. He tilts his head and leans forward ever so slightly. “Are you... _alright_ , Blake?”

 

She simply nods her head _‘yes’_ despite the fact it’s a blatant lie but Jonquil doesn’t press her, he only nods somewhat apprehensively. ”Do you...need someone to walk to the showers?”

 

Yet again Blake says nothing, shaking her head and walking past Jonquil and his two escort, who quickly clear a path for her, as if she’s carrying a highly contagious disease. They look equal parts frightened and revolted and it makes her feel awful, she powers through the feeling and gets off the roof and into the closest elevator as _quickly_ as she can manage.

 

She expected Jonquil to chase after her but isn’t altogether surprised when he doesn't. She’s covered head to toe in the blood and brain matter of his former _girlfriend? Fiancée? Lover?_ Whatever she was to him, it _couldn't_ have felt good to see such a sterling representation of fact that Aqua Pastél was _dead_.

 

The elevator dings and it’s doors slowly open, Blake steps out and into the darkened third floor of the Tracker HQ, a sort of recreational floor, holding the cafeteria and gym, which in itself held the showers she _desperately_ needed. Despite feeling exhausted beyond imagination she managed to jog herself through the halls and towards and the gym, the floor is still a ghost town and will be for an hour or two, a fact that brings Blake some small comfort, the last thing she wants is for more people to see her in this... _state._

 

When she finally reaches the change room she places Gambol Shroud, her badge and her scroll on a bench across from a line of sinks. Blake shrugs off her bloodsoaked trench coat, quickly following with the rest of her soiled clothing, for a half second she feels at ease but the feeling quickly dissolves as she catches a glimpse of herself in one of the mirrors above the sinks. Blood _cakes_ every inch of her face, smeared orange around her mouth, presumedly from the vomiting, her hands forearms are also stained in a layer of dried and cracking blood. The sight is enough to turn her stomach but she fights the urge to throw up again. _She looks hideous_

 

The water comes out of the shower head blisteringly hot, hot enough to be painful. Blake scrubs at her skin until it’s raw and red, she pulls at her hair until her scalp aches, not stopping until she’s convinced every inch of her body is clean.

 

After what feels like hours, she finally turns off the water and grabs her badge, making her way to her personal locker. Usually Blake wasn’t so keen at strutting around naked as the day she was born but at this moment she wasn't covered in someone else’s brain, so she couldn't care less. When she flashes her badge against the scanner on her locker and the door swings open revealing her work out cloths, a towel, held onto the inside of the door with a magnet, a photo of Yang at the beach in a _very_ revealing bikini, smiling brighter than the sun.

 

Blake smiled at the photo on pure instinct, momentarily forgetting about the chaos in her brain. Yang had sent the picture after just after her first month of being a Tracker. “ _Somethin’ to remember me by!_ ” she had said. The photo certainly doing it’s job at the current moment, as it reminded Blake just how badly she needed her partner right now, how badly she just needed to rest in her arms, how badly she needed to forget what had happened today.

 

Grabbing the towel, Blake shoddily dried herself off, before hopping into her workout clothes and placing the photo of Yang gently into the pocket of her shorts and a rogue thought popped into her head, a tiny little voice.

 

_You just let Zephyr kill that woman, you didn't do anything to stop her  you're disgusting...Yang will think you're DISGUSTING!_

_Disgusting?_ Blake thought, would Yang find her disgusting once she heard what happened? Would she want to hold her? And love her? What would she think? Blake’s mind buzzed like with all sorts of negativity, like a wasp’s nest.   

 

She shut her locker with a little more force than was probably necessary and grabbed her things off the bench, leaving her soiled uniform on the ground, hoping the next person who’d find it would burn it.

 

Now that she was clean, Blake just wanted to _leave_ this place. Taking the elevator to the bottom floor and all but sprinting out of the front foyer, Blake found her car as fast as she could and broke several driving laws getting to her apartment. Where she packed her things and headed to catch the first airship to Vale. leaving behind Vacuo, Leaving behind Baagh Shahar, leaving behind the Trackers...and she wasn't sure if she ever wanted to comeback.

 

* * *

 

 

Jonquil stared at the pitiful sight before him, _Aqua Pastél,_ one of the _strongest_ people he had ever known, lay dead right before, face entirely unrecognizable on the account of a bullet to the back of the head…

 

And the trigger was pulled by a dear friend no less.

 

_What a way to go._

 

He remembered the times of his youth, the good memories, the days before he had truly realised how much he'd have throw into this bottomless hole of his, how much he would have to destroy. It’s cruel but then again _life_ was cruel. Aqua had promised she would always be by his side, pretty words with little worth, at least he knew that much now.

 

“Tracassin, your golden girl just rolled on out of here, should I send someone after her?” Zephyr characteristically caustic tone pierced through Jonquil’s carefully constructed silence.

 

“ _No._ let her go, she’s got three months leave. She’s not an issue.” Blake had seemed to gone through a lot on this assignment, he believed his assessment of her could wait three months. It would certainly give her time to calm down. At least now he knew how much gore she could stomach, that would be useful.

 

Zephyr huffed, annoyed while Jonquil ignored her and crouched to examine Aqua’s corpse more closely. “Not _yet_ anyway. She _will_ be though.”

 

Jonquil smirked to himself, intrigued by Zephyr’s train of thought. “What makes you so sure?”

 

A harsh and unfriendly laugh was all he got in response, so he didn't dignify it with a response. A few moments of awkward silence passed before Zephyr said. “Are you _serious_ , Tracassin? Did you see how freaked out she was? What she saw out there is gonna put doubt in her, she’s gonna start asking questions she shouldn't and then... _we’re screwed._ ”

 

Jonquil stood up nonchalantly and turned to face Zephyr, his face unreadable. “It’s battlefield trauma, she’ll get over it and if not, what does it really matter? Ozpin won't come knocking at _my_ door over a woman with a bullet in her head.”

 

Near the end Jonquil’s voice took on a challenging tone, leading Zephyr on, goading her into starting an argument, reason number one on why she had come to hate talking to the man before her, he was always prodding into people's head, learning the ins and outs of their entire personality, a conversation with Jonquil Tracassin was never _just_ a conversation.

 

She shook her head and tried shifting the subject to something different, she pointed at the body he had strapped on the operating table. “What are you going to do with her? Gonna strap a giant bucket on her head too? Or just cut her up and feed her to your friend downstairs.”

 

Jonquil laughed a fake laugh and turned to face the table. “No, nothing like that. She is long gone, her body has no trace of aura. She’s useless in her current state, no nourishment, nothing to salvage, she’s _just_ a corpse. _I'll burn her_.”

 

Zephyr scoffed at how dismissive he was being, this was their friend for Dust's Sake! She had pulled the trigger and it was all she could think about, how could he not show even a speck of emotion? “You're one cold son of a bitch, Tracassin. She loved you...she loved you far more than she should have and you couldn't even face her yourself! You had to send me to do it!”

 

She wanted to pull out her gun and shoot him, right then and there but she knew better, she didn't want to deal with Argus chasing her to the ends of Remnant for the rest of her life. So instead she decided to do something a little less extreme

 

“She was always just a replacement, wasn't she? Number two? Something to stick your dick in when the torture and experimentation got too much for you!?” Zephyr grabbed the lapel of Jonquil’s suit and pulled him as close as she could. “You just kept her around because she fed into that fucking messiah complex of yours!”

 

Before she could even think of hitting him, _something_ had latched onto her hair and was pulling, _tightly._ Zephyr dropped Jonquil and then she was suddenly on the ground, like the floor had been dropped out from under her. Not even a second passed and someone was roughly standing her back up, pinning her arms behind her back.

 

She struggled but made no progress whatsoever, the grip was like a vice and one she was familiar with. _Unseelie._ It was then she realised that she’d played right into Jonquil’s hand, despite her efforts.

 

With a genuine, ill meaning smirk, Jonquil stood himself back up, looks like he got his argument in end. He fixed his tie, burning a hole straight through Zephyr with his weird squint. “Let's get one thing straight, Zephyr. I _loved_ Aqua, what we had was not fake _but..._ she betrayed us and she betrayed _me..._ so, she means _nothing_ to me anymore.”    

 

Jonquil flicked his wrist downward and Unseelie relinquished his hold on Zephyr. She fought the urge to lunge at the smirking idiot in front of her.

 

He continued with his speech turning, yet again to the body on the table. “I understand that you're upset Zephyr but it was not my desire to kill Aqua, _she_ made that choice. She decided to abandon everyone’s hard work and for _nothing._ Best not to dwell on these things.”

 

Zephyr nodded her head, going along with what Jonquil was saying so she could get out of this room alive and then...just think things through, maybe drink herself into a coma.

 

Jonquil’s face went back to its usual neutral expression, giving no insight into his inner thoughts. “Are we going to have any further problems, Zephyr? I don't want to lose you as well.”

 

Gritting her teeth, she felt Unseelie’s ungodly strong hands squeeze her shoulders. “No, Sir...no more problems.”

 

_“Good.”_

 

* * *

 

 

It was around lunch time and Yang had was in the middle of making herself a sandwich and trying not to worry herself sick over her girlfriend and whether or not she was okay.

 

Blake had been on plenty of missions in her relatively short time as a Tracker, with nothing more than a few stitches at worst to show for it. All this considered, why did Yang feel so nervous? The feeling was nothing new to her, this tension in her gut was one she had felt many times but regardless it still felt just as strong as the first time she had ever experienced it. _The fear of loss_ , a fear that never goes away and only grows stronger.

 

She knew that all her worrying was unnecessary, she knew that Blake was most likely fine but she just couldn't fight the way she felt.

 

 ***BANG* *** **_BANG_ ** *****

 

Yang jolted back to reality at the sound of her door being _rather violently_ , knocked on. Shaking her head of her negative thoughts, she made her way to her apartment’s front door, unlocking the door and swinging it open, fully ready to decline whatever was trying to be peddled to her. However when she saw, not a door-to-door salesman but instead... _Blake_ looking haggard and almost frantic, with unkempt hair and dark rings under her wide and distraught looking eyes.

 

Before Yang could even think about making a comment or asking any kind of question, the other woman barged into the apartment, only sparing a extremely rushed. “ _I'm having a shower._ ”

 

Instantly, Yang knew something was wrong, _very wrong_ . Blake hadn’t even called to say she had finished her mission, which was _really_ unlike her, she knew how Yang worried about her, so she’d _always_ notify her whenever she was out of harm's way.

So she followed after Blake to the bathroom, seeing that the door had been promptly shut and locked. Growing increasingly more worried she began knocking on the door. “ _Blakey!_ Are you alright? Can you unlock the door?”

 

The door didn't open but Blake’s voice came from the other side, sounding strained and...broken. “I'm fine, _Yang_ ...just let me have a shower, _please_.”

 

The way Blake said ‘ _please_ ’ made Yang’s skin crawl with worry, she backed away from the door, chewing on her bottom lip. “Okay, Blake. I’ll just be the kitchen if you need me... _I love you._ ”

 

From the otherside of the door Blake replied with her own weak ‘ _I love you_ ’ and Yang reluctantly slunk her way back into the kitchen and lean against the counter listening to the sounds of the shower and thinking of her next plan of attack.

 

Even after all this time, Blake never liked to rely on others, she always wanted to carry all the weight by herself, like she’s trying to prove that she can, that’s she strong. It was a problem that Ruby also had, they two woman never wanted to be burden, so they'd let the weight of their problems build and build until it crushed them to death...so long as they were never a bother.

 

It was a was a way of thinking that Yang disdained but it was also one she knew how to deal with. She would give Blake her space for now and broach the subject when it seems like a good time.

 

Speaking of time, Yang release that Blake had been the shower for quite a while, long enough for her to be worried. Immediately she rushed from the kitchen and back to the bathroom door. She knocked, with more force than before. “Blake! _Blake_ , are you okay in there!?”

 

When Yang heard no answer, she began to panic, worse case scenarios began forming in her head. Without even thinking she kicked the door right off it’s hinges and barged into the bathroom.

 

The first thing she noticed was how much steam was coming from the shower and soon after she felt how hot it was inside the bathroom, Blake must have been showering with only hot water... _but why?_

Tearing open the shower curtain, Yang saw Blake, curled in the fetal position, clawing at the raw red skin of her shoulders to point of bleeding, eyes wide and terrified.

 

Yang turned off the water and then immediately hopped into the shower and took Blake into her arms, hugging her as tightly as she could while fighting back tears. “Dust! Blake...what happened!?”

 

Blake was shaking like a leaf as she was held by Yang, shaking her head and whimpering the same phrase over and over. “ _I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..._ ”  

 

_“I  just tried to do the right thing.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> boom, cliffhanger ending. we'll see how Yang helps Blake with her trauma in another interlude, coming whenever.
> 
> i dont know if the others will be as long as this one but who knows what could happen.
> 
> i tried my best to create a situation that would make Blake, give up on being a tracker, without directly implicating Jonquil as a shady dude up to shady antics. so i hope that came across well.
> 
> more to come(eventually)


	20. Cellar door

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look who's back! it's me.
> 
> how long has it been since the last chapter? who knows? I'm too ashamed to keep track.
> 
> enjoy this chapter because it was one bitch and a half to write.
> 
> PS. I don't own RWBY or anything else

**Chapter 16: Cellar door**

  
  
  


It was incredibly bright when Jorah opened her eyes, it was hot and not to mention humid too, almost like she had just woken up inside a sauna and the cause was set of  _ massive  _ spotlights attached to the ceiling, illuminating the small room and managing to  _ cook  _ her alive in the process. She shut her eyes to counteract the massive headache all the brightness was giving her, that’s when she really started to think about her current whereabouts, she could hear the subtle sounds of thrumming machinery, along with... _ crying? _

 

_ Where the hell was she? _

 

The last thing she could remember, she was outside of  _ Stehlen Steelworks _ forging some nails, when all of sudden there was a huge  _ crash _ and everybody started screaming, someone had tapped her on the shoulder...and  _ that  _ was it.

 

She touched her forehead and wasn’t too surprised when she felt a rush of pain and a  _ massive  _ goose egg, the source of her light sensitivity.  _ Had she been kidnapped? _

 

Jorah reluctantly cracked open her eyes, after only a few  _ agonizing  _ moments they finally adjusted to the light and she had her answer. She was in some kind of cylindrical room with tiled walls and floors, on the floor were several drains, as if the room had been a giant shower at some point, the walls themselves strangely enough had murals painted on them a painting of what seemed to be the same meadow filled with yellow flowers over and over again. 

 

Jorah heard someone sniffle and she finally internalized that she wasn't alone. Three other people were in this strange room with her. A thin blonde woman, pacing around and playing with her hair, a purple haired girl curled in the fetal position(the source of the crying), and another girl splayed out on the floor with a splotchy, bloody  _ mess  _ where her face should be, at first glance she looked like she was dead but Jorah soon noticed the weak rise and fall of her stomach. 

 

Jorah was beyond confused by the whole situation.  _ Why would someone want to kidnap her? Was it because of her skills as a blacksmith? Were these other girls blacksmiths too? _ She wondered absently mindedly about what happened to her village, to the strange Huntsman and his strange friends.  _ Were they all dead? _ She felt like she would never get an answer.

 

Jorah thought about asking the other girls if they knew what was going on but before she could, an ear piercing buzzer sound sliced through the semi-silence, nearly giving her a heart attack. One of the walls swung open like a door and a man in brown suit with sandy brown hair walked in holding clipboard, four sleek looking Atlesian Knights followed behind him, Jorah couldn't tell what make they were which meant they had to be newer models or at least had been heavily modified _. _

 

The purple haired girl screamed at the top of her lungs and scurried as far away from the man with the clipboard as could and the pacing woman just sat down, both actions were soundly ignored by the man as he knelt down before the unconscious girl, checking her pulse and quickly scribbling something down on his clipboard. 

 

He stood up and handed the clipboard to one of the Knights. “ _ Okay _ , which one of you is the Fall Maiden?”

 

_ Maiden? Like the old fairytale, what does that have to do with anything? _

 

All of the girls remained quiet as the grave, not really knowing how to answer the man’s question. 

 

The man huffed in vague annoyance before taking a deep breath and pointing directly at Jorah. “ _ You. _ ” he sighed confidently. The Knights followed him as he strode toward her.

 

Before she knew it Jorah was being restrained by a Knight and brought up to the man’s level. He was staring at her,  _ intensely _ . His eyes were wide open, unblinking, and filled with curiosity, it was beyond uncomfortable. 

 

He brought his face closer to Jorah’s, still staring. “The Fall Maiden...a light breeze, cool but somehow still comforting, like rain, yet still evocative of  _ fire _ ... _ Oranges and reds. _ ” he shook his head as if chasing away his inner thoughts. “So similar  _ yet _ ...not  _ at all _ the same.”

 

With that the man sighed mild disappointment and turned away, signaling with his hand for the knights to follow. “Grab the rest.” he stated emotionlessly. 

 

As Jorah is lead outside the confines of the room all she hears is cries and screams of the other girls.

 

* * *

 

 

After her... _ confusing _ conversation with a talking Grimm, Ruby was nowhere near understanding what exactly the Trackers plans were.

 

_ They want to “destroy” the world and make it new and by using the combined power of all four Maidens they can somehow achieve this, but why? What does that mean!? And what do they want with me!? _ Those were now the biggest questions Ruby had, at least concerning her enemy’s motives.

 

Ruby’s eyes glanced over to Gray, who had been leaned up against the wall staring at her for what felt like  _ days  _ now. She absently wondered if he was using his semblance the entire time, or if he was just using her knowledge about his semblance as a deterrent, she hadn’t bothered trying to activate her aura after the first time Gray had cancelled it out.  _ Could he keep his semblance active for that long or had he tricked her again? _

 

Ruby wanted to try and activate her aura in order to find out but before she could  _ that  _ same annoying buzzer went off again and the door to her cell swung open. For now her chance of testing Gray’s semblance had been postponed, as he was certainly using it now.

 

The man in question barged into Ruby’s cell and went behind her to push the gurney she was strapped into out of the cell and then out of the room itself. He said nothing as he went through the motions   

 

Beyond the room that held her cell was a much larger room filled with chairs and televisions, it looked like a surveillance room but to Ruby’s surprise it was completely abandoned, all the screens going unmonitored and covered in a thick layer of dust. 

 

Passed the surveillance room was a short,  _ claustrophobic  _ hallway which lead straight into an elevator. The hallway much like the surveillance room, was in an unkempt state, like there must have been no janitor managing the building’s upkeep. Dust was  _ everywhere,  _ the floors were marred with shoeprints and scuff marks, the lights on the ceiling were dim and flickering, and although she couldn't see it, Ruby could certainly  _ smell  _ mold.  

 

On the short journey through the decrepit hallway everything was dead quiet except for the sound of wheels rolling over the  _ gritty  _ tiled flooring. They reached the smudged silver doors of the elevator and Ruby was amazed when they opened so smoothly, revealing the cramped space within. Surprisingly or maybe  _ not so  _ surprisingly, there was nobody inside. Gray wheeled Ruby inside the elevator and she took note of how there were no buttons, only a small rectangular screen.

 

The elevator doors closed with a ding and the screen blinked to life, The Tracker’s emblem, a longsword smashed into several pieces, flashed over a video of yellow flowers blowing in the wind, from the screen an odd sounding robotic voice began speaking. “ **_Good evening, Agent. Please provide proper identification._ ** ”

 

Gray reached into one of his pockets and fished out his badge and showed it to the screen, which eventually made a dinging noise in comformation. “ **_Special Class Agent Marron-Gray Comorbid, which floor would you like to be taken to?_ ** ”

 

The Tracker put his badge back in his pocket. “The sixteenth floor.”

 

The screen dinged again. “ **_Please state the password to proceed._ ** ” 

 

“ _ Messiah _ .”

 

“ **_Correct. Have a pleasant evening, Agent Comorbid._ ** ”

 

Silence filled the elevator as it ascended to the its destination. Ruby was beginning to grow anxious, she needed some information,  _ what did they want from her now? _ She swiveled her head so she could look Gray in the eyes, she wasn’t surprised when she saw he was already staring back. “What’s on the sixteenth floor,  _ Gray? _ ”

 

The man physically tensed when Ruby spoke, his blank stare turning into a scowl. “ _ Agent Comorbid _ ...will do.”

 

His answer confused Ruby greatly,  _ was this more of his mind games? _ If so she decided things would go smother if she just played along for now. “Uhm...ok?  _ Agent Comorbid, _ what's on the sixteenth floor?”

 

Gray remained as silent as a grave, completely ignoring her, Ruby couldn't even hear him breathing. She felt like she was on thin ice, so she decided keep any further questions to herself or else he might take his knife to her face again..

 

This, Gray or Marron or  _ Agent Comorbid  _ was a baffling character. Throughout her career as Huntress, Ruby had met a great deal of eccentric people _ and maybe _ even she, herself could be considered eccentric. It was never something she put much thought into however, everybody was different, everyone had their own quirks and mannerisms, that's what made people  _ people  _ after all!

 

_ But _ there was something  _ wrong  _ with Agent Comorbid, or whoever he really was. She could  _ feel  _ it. He was acting, every part of his personality that he had shone Ruby so far was  _ fake. _

 

_ “Who’s the real you, Agent Comorbid? Is there even anything real behind those scars and that scowl?” _

 

A full five minutes of dead quiet passed before the elevator dinged for a final time, denoting the arrival to their destination: the  _ sixteenth floor _ . The doors opened and Agent Comorbid quietly pushed the gurney through the opened elevator door.

 

In almost an instant Ruby was assaulted by the overwhelming  _ stench _ that seemed to blanket the sixteenth floor, an unholy cocktail of blood, rotten meat, and a very  _ strong  _ cleaning agent, It was enough to make her eyes water and make a lump form in her throat.

 

Agent Comorbid, however was seemingly unfazed by the smell as he continued to push her along.

 

As Ruby’s nose slowly adjusted she took note of her surroundings, sixteenth floor itself. It reminded her of a hospital or a laboratory as the floor was a very shiny and very reflective white tiling which matched with the white walls and ceiling. Beds lined sides of both walls, some were empty but others had  _ people  _ hooked up to all manner of machines she didn't recognize and each was being attended to by Atlesian Knights of various makes dating as far back as the  _ 130, _ it was beyond  _ bizarre _ .

 

_What is all this...some kind of infirmary?_ _Is this about the cut on my face?_ Ruby continued to stare at the beds as they passed by, each one as eerily off-white as the next seemingly going on for eternity, that was until a shock of bright crimson came into her peripheral and the unmistakable coppery tang of blood filled her nostrils, overpowering all the other smells. Some kind of accident must have happened as one of the beds was _soaked_ in blood, Knights gathering around it to change the sheets and mop the floors.

 

_ What could have happened!? _ Ruby thought to herself but when her eyes caught a glimpse of dark green, her question was answered,  _ Unseelie _ was standing to the side of the Knights cleaning up the mess, motionless like statue and completely splattered bucket-head to toe in blood and little bits of pinkish  _ pulp. _

 

Ruby no longer thought the sixteenth floor was an infirmary. Swallowing her urge to vomit from the complete overstimulation the carnage forced upon her senses, she continued to stare at Unseelie, who either did not notice her or simply did not care. She wanted to say something, voice her disgust, or just ask  _ why? What is all of this going to achieve? _

 

A strong hand gripped Ruby’s shoulder, hard enough to cause bruising. Agent Comorbid spoke in a monotonous voice as he stopped pushing Ruby’s chair. “Eyes forward and don't try anything, I think it’s very obvious what your situation is.”

 

Ruby followed her instructions and turned her head to look forward and saw they had reached the end of what was essentially a very long corridor had now reached a small set of stairs which led up to a platform with a railing that appeared to be overlooking a  _ pit _ , strangely enough, in the middle of the platform there was a wooden desk which was facing toward the pit,  _ overlooking  _ it. On either side of the platform were a set of stairs which looped into an observatory with large windows built into the walls just above the drop off. Along the walls were all sorts of pipes and tubes which all descended into the pit. 

 

Confusion ran amok through Ruby’s mind.  _ What is this place? What is it for? _ She thought to herself, concerned by the implications of a pit in a room full of dead and dying people. 

 

The door on the left side of the platform swung open and a familiar face began descending the small flight of stairs.  _ Jonquil Tracassin _ was looking over a clipboard, mumbling to himself as he absently took a glance over the edge of the pit, he was taking notes. Ruby held her tongue, Agent Comorbid’s hand still holding onto her as a warning. 

 

After a few agonizing moments Jonquil turned away from the pit, tossing his clipboard onto the desk. He looked at Ruby or at least she thought he did, it was kinda hard to tell with his strange squint. For a singular moment his face held no expression, as if he was looking at nothing but soon enough  _ that  _ overly friendly smile crept across his face. “Ahh,  _ Miss Rose! _ Welcome,  _ welcome! _ I'm so very glad you are here!  _ See _ ...I told you that you'd see me  _ again _ .”

 

Jonquil was dressed differently from when Ruby had last seen him, wearing an expensive looking brown pinstripe suit with a dress shirt the same shade of brown and a dark orange tie. He still managed to look like a substitute teacher...an incredibly evil substitute teacher. 

 

He began walking down the steps to reach Ruby and Agent Comorbid’s level and the Huntress decided she must have been aloud to speak  _ now _ , so she started with a question. “ _ Why _ am I here, Jonquil?”

 

Jonquil’s smile dropped for a moment as he pondered Ruby’s question, tapping his index finger on his chin and staring up at the ceiling. “ _ Hmmmm _ . I don’t know, it’s one of life's great mysteries, why are any of us here?” he lowered his head back down to look at Ruby, an expectant look on his face.

 

Ruby grit her teeth in frustration but held back on any kind of response. She was  _ not  _ in the joking mood.

 

She heard Jonquil chuckle lightly. “Oh come now, don't be so  _ morose! _ You should be  _ happy! _ I thought I told them to inform you that you won’t be killed!”

 

Ruby looked back up at her captor and let out a frustrated groan. “Well if you're not gonna kill me, what are you gonna do with me!? Just keep me as a prisoner!? As bait!?  _ What!? _ ” she was fed up with all these absurd theatrics.

 

Jonquil stood motionless for a moment before turning his head to Agent Comorbid. “Unrestrain her. Now.” his tone completely different from before,  _ grave _ . A series of clicks and snaps and Ruby was freed from her restraints. She struggled to stand, her legs feeling like jelly.  _ how long had she been in that gurney? _

 

“You are partially correct, you are bait. Ozpin is most  _ assuredly  _ coming to rescue you and the Maidens, they're his bluff, after all and you are his ace in the hole.” Jonquil spoke concisely gesturing to his eyes with his two fingers when speaking about Ruby. “But the Maidens are long dead or at least will be very shortly and I am hoping to have extracted enough data from  _ you _ by the time he arrives.”

 

Ruby was taken aback, utterly floored by what she was hearing.  _ The maidens are dead? Four innocent women were added to pile of corpses the Tracker’s were building but for what reason!? Why did all these people have to die!?  _ Overtaken by her emotions she reeled back her fist to punch Jonquil right in the jaw but just as quickly as it took for her fingers to form a fist Agent Comorbid lunged at her, grabbing her wrist and twisting her arm behind her back.

 

She let out a cry in equal parts surprise and pain but refrained from struggling any further, feeling the bones in wrist creak in Comorbid’s iron grip. She didn't stay silent however. ”What is this  _ place!? _ What did  _ you  _ do to the Maidens!? To all those people in the beds!?” she cried, her frustrations clear as crystal. 

 

Jonquil smiled and opened his arms raising them upwards as if telling Ruby to  _ “Behold” _ . “This? I like to think of this as a place of nourishment and growth. These men and women have been chosen for higher purpose, we are harvesting their  _ aura! _ The same goes for the Maidens and their magic.”

 

Ruby couldn't believe what she was hearing.  _ Harvesting aura!? That’s insane! _ She voiced her complete confusion to her captor. “Why are you doing this? Don't you know the magic of the Maidens can only be used by females!  _ I-i  _ don't understand.” 

 

A chuckle escaped from Jonquils lips and he began shaking his head. Ruby felt Comorbid’s grip on her shoulder and wrist tighten. “Oh...my dear,  _ dear _ Miss Rose, this aura isn’t for  _ me _ or anybody else.  _ Neither  _ is the magic.” he began climbing the stairs to the platform, making his way to the railing overlooking the pit. “Bring her up here.”

 

Comorbid roughly guided Ruby up the stairs of the platform, with each step she could see a little bit deeper into the pit, nervousness began to fill her gut as she got closer and closer. Comorbid must have felt her growing apprehension as the hand on her shoulder suddenly took hold of her hair, ready to violently yank if she decided to look away. Soon she was standing in front of Jonquil, the only barrier between her eyes and what ever lay at the bottom of the pit.

 

He looked more sinister than ever with his arms firmly behind his back, he spoke innocently,  _ disingenuously _ . “How much do you know about Grimm biology, Miss Rose?” a rhetorical question, as he continued speaking, giving her no time to answer. “I'm sure you know that Grimm are asexual and cannot reproduce. I'm sure you know that all infantile Grimm are borne from the same kind of primordial soup, which is secreted by only the most ancient of Grimm or even sometimes found occuring in the wild.” 

 

Jonquil stepped away from the railing allowing Ruby to see what lie at the bottom of the pit...a sight that would forcibly claw its way inside her head and haunt the young woman until the day she died.

 

A Queen Lancer lay bound to the floor, it's wings nailed to the floor, legs restrained to the ground with large metal binders, one of the large tubes from the walls was connected to a feeding device forcing it’s mandibles open, but what was most horrific was it’s abdomen which was  _ swollen  _ and translucent, allowing her to see the undeniably  _ human _ shape that was floating within the cloudy amber fluid. Said abdomen was where the majority of the pipes and hoses were connected to, feeding  _ it  _ god knows what.

 

Sitting at the bottom of the pit along with the Lancer were four glass coffin-like objects that were connected to the swelling abdomen, piping in a glowing substance that Ruby quickly noted was... _ aura _ . Through the glass she could make out  _ Sunny _ , and the blue-haired girl from Waldstadt.  _ The maidens...oh my god. _ The sight was becoming too much for Ruby and she tried to turn her gaze away but Comorbid quickly wrenched her head back, forcing her to continue looking. She didn't bother closing her eyes because she knew he just force them open again.

 

She heard Jonquil clear his throat behind her. “The Queen Lancer is the  _ only  _ Grimm capable of reproducing by giving birth.  _ It’s  _ primordial soup is much less  _ magic  _ and more  _ scientific _ , making genetic tampering a relative snap, after a bit of trial and error... _ beautiful _ isn’t she?”

 

Ruby stood in silence for a moment, absorbing the abhorrent sight before her. “It's...horrible, it’s  _ disgusting! _ ” she spat, contorting her face into a grimace.

 

Jonquil let out another hearty laugh. “ _ Disgusting? _ What you're staring at it is the  _ perfect lifeform _ a perfect synthesis of Human and Grimm biology...the power that lies within her is... _ monolithic. _ The sheer mass and density of her aura, the magic of all four maidens at her control, and that’s not even mentioning what  _ divine  _ semblance she will manifest!”  

 

Ruby had a simple retort. “How many people have you  _ killed  _ to make this happen?”

 

Jonquil stepped in front of Ruby again and looked her dead in the eyes, his eyelids lifting to reveal his golden colored eyes, a display which greatly shocked her as it was incredible just how much his irises looked as though they had been cast in solid gold. He spoke in a dead serious cadence that sent shivers down her spine. “ _ As many as it took. _ ”  

 

The confidence and certainty in Jonquil's statement sent a shiver down Ruby's spine, the full weight of exactly what he meant was almost too much for her to bear.

 

_ How could this be worth so much to him? _

 

Down in the pit, a series a beeps and clicks could be heard, indicating the completion of some awful machination and soon after the previously catatonic looking Queen Lancer began to stir.

 

Jonquil's expression morphed into a confused one and he immediately turned to look over the railing, which also gave Ruby better view of what exactly was transpiring.

 

The Grimm was now struggling against it's restraints, screeching in what seemed like a mixture of agony and rage. The mechanism forcing it's mandibles open was  _ snapped  _ into pieces, but the other bindings held fast through the beast’s thrashing. 

 

With a final ear piercing cry the Queen's head began violently shaking while an amber colored and foul smelling viscous liquid spewed from it's jaws. For what seemed like hours the three watched in stupefied silence as the Grimm shook and spasmed, the red glow in it's eyes growing duller and the amber liquid becoming darker and cloudier until it finally lay still, eyes grey and lifeless, black syrupy blood dripping from it's mouth.

 

_ Was it...dead? _

 

Ruby didn't know what to think, the Grimm wasn't turning to ash and yet...it was eerily still in the way only a corpse could be. 

 

However the apparent paradoxical  _ death _ of the Queen Lancer had given way to something else, something was happening with it’s hybrid child, something Ruby couldn't see. Without warning, something  _ passed _ through Ruby, almost like a frigid winter wind, cold enough to make her shiver but the feeling soon gave way to a flash of heat so intense it made feel like she was standing in front of an open flame.

 

The strange clashing feelings were gone almost as soon as they appeared and left Ruby fatigued and short of breath. From the slight shiver she had felt come from Agent Comorbid and his now slacking hold on her, she guessed everyone had felt whatever  _ that _ was.

 

When Jonquil turned around, Ruby saw blood dripping from his nose and she quickly realized her nose had began bleeding as well. His golden eyes shimmered wickedly and he smiled a genuine smile.

 

“And so our protagonist  _ finally  _ makes her  _ entrance! _ ”

 

* * *

 

 

When the airship touched down in Atlas proper Oscar was quick to split off from the group, alledgedy in search of a “contact” who could secure them a faster means of transportation, out of nowhere he had produced debit card and tossed to Blake and advised everyone to try and drum up some supplies for the coming journey and then meet back at their arrival point in an hour.

 

So Blake, Yang, and Taiyang decided to do some shopping, while Weiss…

 

_ Weiss  _ split away from the others and made her way to the nearest snow capped payphone, she needed to make an important call. Rummaging through her pockets with her one good hand she serendipitously managed to scrounge up just enough change. For a moment she thought of simply using her scroll but she didn't want to risk it, the Tracker’s were global organization, one that may have the support of the Atlesian military, or at least a part of it. 

 

The thought of how large this  _ sudden  _ enemy was, did nothing to soothe Weiss’s nerves.  _ I still don't understand...how did all of this happen so suddenly, how long have the Tracker’s been going through the motions of this plan? How long did Oscar know? _

 

As time passed she only had more and more questions by the minute but she knew she wouldn't get answers by simply asking questions to herself, she needed to ask someone who might have answers,  _ some  _ small insight, even if they weren’t aware they knew such things. So Weiss picked up the phone and dialed the number, one of the only two she had actively made effort to memorize.

 

_ Winter. _

 

There was silence for a moment as it rang, but soon enough she picked up.

 

“ _ Hello? _ ”

 

The voice of sister sounded still had it’s characteristic sternness but mixed with defientive grogginess, Weiss quickly realized just how early it actually was, she had most likely just been asleep. Feeling guilty Weiss stuttered out a quick apology. “I'm sorry if I woke you, Winter. But I needed to call you.”

 

Winter replied all traces of sleep, now gone from her voice, surprised by who she heard on the other side of her scroll. “ _ Weiss? _ Is that you? This isn't your regular number.”   

 

Nerves getting the better of her, Weiss felt the compulsive need to look around herself, to make sure nobody was watching her. “ _ Yes _ . I'm using a payphone, I don't think my scroll is safe anymore.” Weiss took another cursory glance at her surrounding and lowered her voice. ”Something  _ big  _ is happening, Winter. I wanted to make sure you ok, make sure you're  _ not  _ involved.”

 

Winter was understandably concerned by her sister’s almost frantic whispers. “ _ Weiss _ . Slow  _ down _ , what exactly is happening?  _ Where are you? _ ”

 

Gripping the phone tighter in her hand, Weiss struggled not to look over her shoulder for any eavesdroppers. “I can’t tell you, Winter...the less you know the better, at least at this current point.”

 

Winter made a derisive noise. “I can take of myself, Weiss. This isn't the first I’ve been involved in something like this.” she paused and sighed into her scroll. ”Weiss.  _ Please _ , just tell me what’s going on.” 

 

In hushed tone Weiss replied. “It's the Tracker’s Association...they're planning  _ something _ and They've already done so  _ much _ . They've  kidnapped the newest Maidens… _ and  _ Ruby.” Weiss took in a shuddering breath. “They even...they  _ killed  _ Qrow, Winter.”

 

Silence flowed from Winter’s side of call, as if she was processing all of what Weiss had just said. She knew her sister had a  _ complicated  _ relationship with Ruby’s uncle and she wasn't sure she’d ever get the full details on what exactly had created the rift between them however, Weiss wasn't a fool, she knew that Winter cared about the man, either as a colleague, or friend, or perhaps  _ something else. _

 

“What do you need me to do, Weiss? Do you want my help, I’ll lend you my blade if that's what your asking.” eventually came as Winter’s reply, laced with the telltale Schnee family determination.

 

Now came the moment of truth. Should Weiss accept Winter’s offer of help, truly there group needed all the help they could get, combat wise, she knew that JNPR alone wouldn't be enough. Even with Oscar’s mind boggling strength alone it wasn't enough but could she risk the chance at losing another loved one? As far as Weiss knew, Ruby could be long dead, a fact that she could barely stomach on it’s own and the thought of losing Winter on top of that was unbearable.  _ So  _ she made the impulsive choice...the  _ wrong  _ choice.

 

“N-no Winter, at least not yet. At this point  _ information  _ is more valuable than bodies. We need someone on the inside.” Weiss said, hiding the regret in voice.

 

Winter was quiet again before responding. “ _ Someone on the inside? _ Are you saying the Atlas Military is a part of all this  _ madness? _ ”

 

Weiss grimaced, Winter sounded thoroughly betrayed at the implication that the organization she’d spent the better part of fifteen years as a member of, was a farce. “A part of it is, at very least. Someone is giving the Association access to latest models of Knights.”

 

Winter immediately cursed under breath. “I  _ knew  _ something wasn't right about that recall,  _ damnit!  _ Weiss, General Glass  _ must  _ be involved, he greenlit a recall for the new models right before we were supposed to show them off... _ Aaron _ you,  _ son of a bitch. _ ”

 

Shaking her head, Weiss tried not make any noises that betrayed just how defeated she felt.  _ If this goes all the way to the top, here in Atlas, who to say it’s not the same in all the other Kingdoms, just how far does their reach span? _

 

“Winter, you know you have to be careful now. If they find out you know... ” Weiss drifted off, not wanting to finish her sentence.

 

Before Winter could reply to her sister’s warning, both women felt a shockingly freezing burst of cold run through them both, which was then quickly followed by a dizzying flash of intense heat. The strange feeling had been so intenses and so quick that it left both women lightheaded and short of breath.

 

“Did you feel that?” Weiss asked as soon as she managed to regain her focus.

 

“...I did.” was Winter’s worried reply.

 

Biting her lip, Weiss took a look around and saw groups of confused people out in the street, assumedly talking about the strange phenomenon.

 

Weiss instantly knew she needed to find the others.

 

“I'm sorry, Winter. I have to go now,  _ please  _ stay safe...I love you.” Weiss said, cringing as she hung up the phone before Winter had a chance to protest.

 

As Weiss made her way to the supermarket the others had headed to, she noted how much she was sweating underneath her peacoat.  _ Sweating in Atlas? At this time of year? _ To further punctuated her anxious confusion a bolt of lighting lit up the orange and green sky and it began to  _ rain _ .  

 

Weiss broke into a sprint.

__

* * *

 

 

Exhausted, Whitley Schnee collapsed onto the hardwood floor of his personal gym, a combination of general fatigue and the  _ strangeness  _ that had just happened with his temperature was enough to make him lose his adrenaline high.

It was probably for the better, anyway. If another 3-5 hours had passed by  _ another  _ dozen or so training estocs would need to be replaced on top the dozen he had already broken. Looking around he could see that he had trashed his gym once again. Craters in the floor and holes in the walls, scorch marks running all the way to the ceiling, pillars of stone and ice piercing through the floor, even his 4 centimeter thick aluminium oxynitride window overlooking the city, had a consideral fracture running  _ crisscross  _ all across it’s surface. 

 

A couple thousand, maybe a million Lien, to have everything fixed. Either way it was pocket change to Whitley, barely worth a thought.

 

_ No _ ...but what  _ was _ worth a thought, however, was whatever had just happened. Whitley had a theory on what it could be and when he heard the thunder followed by the  _ pitter-patter _ of rain against his window, his theory was confirmed. 

 

“ _ We should expect some meteorologically strangeness when she first wakes up but it should only be centralized around Baagh Shahar, though. If it mangages to reach all of Vacuo...then-well I don't really know what that would mean. _ ”

 

Whitley remembered Jonquil telling him on his last visit to Tracker HQ. He had been skeptical about her powers being able to reach past a single city and here there were affecting the Kingdom furthest from Vacuo. 

 

What did  _ that  _ say about her strength? 

 

“ _ Ginger! _ ” Whitley yelled for his assistant, still laying splayed across the floor.

 

The door to his gym slowly opened and a meek orange haired woman poked her head through the adjacent doorway, as if afraid to enter. “ _ Uhm _ -yes, Mr. Schnee,  _ S-sir _ .”

 

Sitting up with a grunt, Whitley brushed his sweaty alabaster locks out of his eyes. “Cancel all of my appointments and wipe my schedule for the foreseeable future.”

 

The nervous woman nodded her head vigorously, not asking any questions. “ _ Of course _ , Mr. Schnee, Sir.”

 

Before she could leave, however, Whitley stood up fully, indicating he wasn't done speaking. “ _ But first _ , patch me through to General Glass...oh and then you go  _ straight  _ home, you're on paid vacation until further notice.”

 

With another nod of her head. “T-thank you, Sir.” Ginger went to leave but was stopped once again by her boss.

 

“ _ Whatever _ you do  _ don't  _ go to  _ Mistral _ . Go somewhere,  _ nicer _ ,  _ like... _ Menagerie, get a tan or something.” Whitley said in a strangely serious tone before giving Ginger a wry smile and a wink.

 

Ginger soon left after a spout of awkward silence and Whitley was alone in his destroyed gym once again. He was nervous but it was a  _ good, _ an  _ exciting  _ nervousness. He had hoped he’d have a little more time to train but it wouldn't matter in the end. 

 

_ Win, lose, or draw, the result will be the same _ .

  
  


* * *

 

 

There was a great commotion in the already bustling streets of Mistral, the sudden and rapid change in internal temperature followed by waves of dizziness had affected everyone within the city all at once. 

 

The increasingly strong winds and quickly darkening sky, that followed afterward only added to the collective unrest. Murmurs of a terrible storm passed from one pair of anxious lips to another. The cool air was becoming colder and  _ colder _ , more akin to frigid temperatures of an Atlesian Winter than a Mistrali Spring. It was clear to all that something  _ more  _ was at work. 

 

Without any kind of warning the warbling throngs of people began to disperse, parting into two clumps with a considerable berth between them, making way for someone. Anxious whispers switched gears from the weather to the lone woman who strode between the two groups of people, hands shoved deep into the pockets of a stained grey duster, coattails blowing wildly in the wind. 

 

“ _ A Tracker!? _ ” one man mumbled. “ _ She’s scary! _ ” a child said, perhaps a little too loudly. “ _ Is that blood on her coat!? _ ” another woman whispered. The crowd was obviously uneased by the woman’s presence but she, herself couldn't care less, apparently. She continued to walk through the streets unimpeded.

 

Her face showed no real emotions besides the barest hints of  _ somnolence. _ Her short, messy golden blonde hair, rustled in the wind much like her coat. Copper colored scales, only a shade darker than her tan skin, worked their way up her neck, stopping just short of her chin, indicating she was a faunus of reptilian origin. Her eyes shone a pale bluish-white with accents of rich orange, like liquid bronze mixed with mercury. She was built lean and sturdy, and was easily half a foot taller than most of the people gathered in the streets.

 

She was a beyond intimidating sight to the already frazzled citizens of Mistral, they all knew what bad luck the Tracker’s usually brought with them. Surely this woman marching straight into the heart of freak storm meant only bad things were to come. In Mistral, no one would have a restful night’s sleep.   __

  
The woman continued to move forward, she stared at the storm that awaited to engulf her and she yawned. Unperturbed and uncaring of whatever made come to stand in her way.  _ There was work to be done. _

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh oh, new Tracker! what's she doing?! idk that's exciting right!?
> 
> oh and also, part of Jonquil's true plan has been revealed, hopefully things are beginning to become almost a bit clear, MAYBE.
> 
> I hope you guys are excited to see what the hybrid is capable of and how Ruby and the gang are gonna deal with it, I know I am.
> 
> btw this chapter name has kind of weird origin. as some of may or may not know "Cellar door" is consider by many to be the most beautiful phrase in the english language. now i dont know about you guys but i dont really get that sentiment. so the chapters name is reference to that. Jonquil sees his creation as beautiful while Ruby disagrees. get it? 
> 
> *shrugs*
> 
> stay tuned.


	21. Heroes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEW(OLD) CHAPTER
> 
> probably should warn(AGAIN), that this chapter may be a little dark than the others, some not so nice stuff is happening, so be warned i guess.
> 
> i hope ya'll enjoy the chapter(AGAIN).
> 
> I don't own RWBY or nothing

 

 

**Chapter 17: Heroes**

  


“What the hell was _that!?_ ” Cerise, still short of breath managed to gasp out.

 

Keeping one eye on the road and another on the building he could see reflected in his side mirror. Argus sighed in relief when after five minute grace period, HQ wasn't vaporized by an explosion half the size of the city. Glancing up at the sky, he could see the sky filling up with grey clouds. _Body temperature change? Check. Meteorological disruption? Check. No explosion? Check._

 

“She’s awake. That’s what _that_ was.” Argus finally answered. Sounding like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, only for and even _greater_ weight to replace it.

 

Cerise was suddenly awestruck, he had never thought they would reach this point, even as he hauled the Maidens right to HQ. He had always envisioned something going awry but to see that... _nothing_ had gone wrong, _he_ was ecstatic, so why wasn't Argus? He’d been a part of this almost as long as Jonquil, shouldn't something like this be liberating?

 

“ _Ayye,_ ain’t that a good thing, _Argus?_ ” Noire parroted Cerise’s inner sentiments from the backseat of car where he was currently lounging on his back as if it were a nice sofa, clearly with little regard for vehicular safety.

 

Argus grumbled under his breath, not taking his eyes off the road. “ _It is_ . But that doesn't mean we can hang up our coats and call it day, _boys_ . We’re just in the next phase, there’s still _Ozpin,_ there’s still _RWBY,_ and there’s still _Mistral._ So keep on game, _you two_.”

 

Cerise nodded his head in agreeance with Argus, treading cautiously was always the wisest choice, he thought. While Noire simply made an obnoxiously dismissive noise. “Don't be so worried, _Gramps!_ We _got_ this.”

 

Quirking his head to the side, a challenging tone in his voice. “ _Gramps_ , huh? What happened to Sir?”

 

From behind him Cerise could hear Noire shuffling awkwardly in his reclined position. “ _Uhh_ , since when have I ever called you _Sir?_ ”

 

Argus continued staring forward, his face shifted from a variety of different emotions, as if he was has a mental conversation with himself on how to proceed, after a brief moment he finally settled on a mix of concern and irritation. “ _Noire._ Have you replicated recently?”

 

“ _No_.” A rushed and completely unconvincing response.

 

Shaking his head, Argus tightened his grip on the steering wheel, irritation beginning to edge out the concern _ever_ so slightly. “Don't lie to me, Noire. Tell me. Have. _You_. Replicated?”

 

Noire ran a nervous hand through his shiny black hair and bit his lip, he was clearly indecisive about coming clean but he knew in the end he couldn't hide anything from Argus, somehow he still remembered _that_ fact. “On Patch, I replicated _both_ of the Xiao Long’s”

 

“That’s _not_ good, Noire. You're _pushing_ yourself _too_ much.” Argus spoke like a worried parent scolding their child, which Cerise noted wasn't really that far off from the truth. He had been taking care of Noire for a long time, he knew the consequences of him over using his semblance  

 

Noire, along with Marron and Cerise, himself were just kids when the Association found them...in fact it wasn't even called the _Association_ back then it was just Team TPAZ, Macheath, Old Ned, and Bosch. A group of people who saw their potential and knew how to nurture it.

 

 _Jonquil_ was always planning, _working_ . Cerise didn't remember them interacting too much, when he a kid. Unlike Noire or Marron, Jonquil didn't think it was necessary to run any complex tests on him, all he had to do was take some pills everyday, paired with occasional injection of something red? _Pink?_ He couldn't really recall.

 

 _Aqua_ , he remembered thinking she was very pretty but Cerise didn't have any memories of ever even _talking_ to her, she always kept her distance, like she was afraid of him and the other boys, she would occasionally watch them train but other than that she was a ghost. One time Noire had claimed to have seen Jonquil and Aqua kissing, at the time neither him nor Marron believed him...of course much later they did learn about the two’s close relationship with one another. When Cerise saw Aqua’s pale and bloody corpse, smelling of rot and smoke, when he looked at the hole where her face used to be, it had been all he could think about, Jonquil and her kissing.

 

Macheath... _Unseelie._ At first Cerise had been terrified of the massive man with his bucket head but as he matured he realized that despite his indimadating exterior, he was a _person_ underneath all that metal and carbon fiber. He had a good heart or at least Cerise thought he did, whenever any of them did well during training or took their medicine without making a fuss he would pat them on the head, Marron pretended like he didn't like it and it _varied_ with Noire, however Cerise _loved_ them he would always be on his best behaviour so he’d get a pat on the head. To this day he didn’t really know he wanted the head pats, it was probably validation, he thought. Because what kid _didn't_ want validation?  

 

 _Old Ned_ . If Aqua had been a ghost, Ned had been a _shadow_ , the two never met until Cerise and the others were sixteen, when he began teaching them combat instead of Argus, he was a harsher instructor than Argus but his lessons stuck well. Argus had taught them _reaction_ , defensive moves, counters, and such but Ned taught _action_ , offense and _special moves_ , it was with Ned that they got to choose their weapons and begin mastering their semblances. In combat Ned, himself seemed like he had some kind of purpose, it was the only thing he ever truly enjoyed, a fact the Cerise could understand but did not entirely agree with, he enjoyed fighting but _surely_ there was more to life?   

 

 _Bosch_ , was their teacher in all things non-combat. Even more so than Macheath, Cerise remembers being mortified by Bosch’s existence, the fear of Grimm ingrained into all three of the boys by society before they were adopted by the Soon-To-Be-Association still rang true within them. It took sometime before they accepted that he wasn't going to eat them, after that Bosch was a tremendous teacher in all subjects, his lessons never failed to enrapture, math, science, geography _but_ none captivated more than _history_ , Bosch would regale the boys with his first hand accounts of defining moments of Remnant’s past, entertaining and educating all in one fell swoop. Cerise remembers that Bosch had been the one to tell them of their plans to fight against Ozpin and save the world, it became like a collective dream...or more like a motivation, he didn't care too much about the world, or at least he didn't _think_ he did, he just wanted to...he just _wanted?_

 

 _Cerise just wanted..._    

 

Casting his thoughts back to the past, Cerise thought of Argus and Zephyr. Argus was their first mentor and Zephyr had been like his... _assistant?_ She had always been with him acting stout and aloof, she didn't teach them anything, she just stuck to Argus’ side, smoking her cigars and harshly criticizing anybody who wasn't in peak form, occasionally Argus would ask her to grab something for him, some generic errand and she would to it with vigor. In hindsight it was _blindingly_ obvious she was head over heels in love with him...which was actually kind of sad, all things considered.

 

During their training Argus had always kept an especially close eye on Noire and Marron and at first Cerise didn't really understand why but he didn't have the knowledge Argus did about the two boys. As Cerise learned how Noire’s semblance screwed with his psyche and made him do strange things on occasion and how much of strain it put on his body, when he learned about Marron’s tendencies to self-harm and lash out. He felt that he understood the overprotectiveness and even felt some of his own creep to the surface

 

_The two were hellbent and destroying themselves. They needed someone to watch over them, take care of them._

 

Cerise thought he was the least fucked up of the three, so he had tried to play the “ _Big Brother_ ”. It was hard protecting people from themselves, especially being as young as he was but he tried his hardest regardless because that's what a big brother would do. So when Argus wasn't there and Marron would cut himself up, Cerise would be the one to dress the wound, when Noire would have his panic attacks, Cerise would be there to comfort him.

 

_Wait, did I say least fucked up? Why did I kill the Winter Maiden’s father for no reason...why did I do that? Or in Fischerdorf, why did I order the Knights to kill everyone? If i'm not fucked up, why did I do all those things?_

 

_What are you exactly after Ceris Freischutz?_

 

He didn't know. So he decided for the present moment he would continue playing the role of big brother for the sake of Noire _and_ Marron. So turned to fix Noire with his best disappointed stare and joined in on Argus’s scolding session. All the while the car steadily made its way to Halcón.

 

________________________

 

“Ok, let me start by saying, I've alway been a very big fan of yours, defeating Salem! I mean _hello!_ That’s _real_ heroism right there.” Jonquil all but shouted like an obsessed fanboy talking to their favorite celebrity. It didn't feel real at though, just like every word that came tumbling out of his sneering mouth, it dripped with fakeness.

 

If Ruby could move she’d slap him.

 

After the horrific display on the sixteenth floor Ruby had been put back on her gurney and transported to what she could only assume was Jonquil’s personal laboratory on the _seventeenth_ floor, where she was strapped into what she could only describe as an industrial grade dentists chair, fit with restraints an Ursa Major couldn’t even scratch. Forced to endure whatever it was Jonquil, Marron, and Unseelie had in store for her next.

 

“Y’see Ruby, _can I call you Ruby?_ Y’see _Ruby_ , you're a _hero_. A real honest to _Dust,_ _hero!_ ” Jonquil’s golden eyes were wide open and _wild_ with an unknowable passion. Everytime he said the word “ _hero_ ” his voice took on hint anger, a deep seated resentment. It was as if the very act of saying the word tore away the layers of composure and disingenuity and revealed the true Jonquil Tracassin.

 

“But what does that really accomplish, _huh?_ Being a hero? Salem may be dead and her little cronies swept under the rug, out of everyone’s hair...but does that mean _evil_ people are no longer an issue? Does that mean no one will _die_ ever again? Does it mean no one will ever _hate_ again?” Jonquil walked behind Ruby and began rummaging for _something._

 

It was dead silent for what felt like a long while, Ruby looked to Marron and Unseelie for some kind of indication of what was happening _now._ However the two just stood in front of the lab’s only door like a pair of demented gargoyles.

 

Without warning something _clamped_ down on the sides of Ruby’s head, locking her place. Focussing all her strength she desperately tried to fight against her restraints but without aura it was _pointless_.

 

Jonquil appeared in front of Ruby a mere moments later looking furious beyond measure, he was holding something small and shiny in each hand. “What did killing Salem do for all the people _suffering_ right now? What are _you_ gonna do to stop the _suffering!?_ ” was all he said before he reached for Ruby’s face.

 

Ruby struggled in vain as Jonquil roughly forced opened each of her eyes with clamps, making it so she could no longer even blink while he continued to torment her over things far out of her control. He was right in the sense that defeating Salem didn't create world peace but fighting with one another, hurting each other...that was in the nature of Humans and Faunus, she couldn’t change that. No one could, not even Oscar.

 

“You can’t... _change_ people, the truly evil ones...they'll always exist. You just have to help everyone you can.” she gritted out trying to look anywhere but directly at her captors, she couldn't stomach the sight of them any longer.

 

Jonquil laughed loudly and Ruby heard the sounds of wheels on the tiled floor. “That’s the belief of someone who's given up, someone who endures! If you think you can’t change people, the nature of people. That means you don't care. You _can_ change them, all you need is strength and faith...two things you're clearly lacking.” He cleared his throat as if trying to get her attention after he figured out she wasn't looking at him. “Now look at me, _Ruby_.”

 

She ignored him and almost instantly her entire body tensed in agony as she was electrocuted by her restraints. The pain was unbearable and felt like it lasted for an eternity by the time it finally stopped. Ruby was trembling in her restraints as tears leaked from the corners of her eyes either from the pain or the irritation of having metal hooks shoved underneath her eyelids. Needless to say she quickly made eye contact with Jonquil, not risking his wrath again.

 

“ _Good._ That was your first and _last_ warning Ruby.” he said sounding more like himself again but she could still hear the traces of lingering anger.

 

He was now sitting in a cheap looking office chair, bringing him to Ruby’s eye level in her reclined position, to his left was a cart but it was too tall for her to see exactly what was on it, a fact that on its own was enough to make her sweat.

 

From the cart Jonquil produced another clipboard along with a pen, quickly he began jotting something down. “I'm going to ask you some questions, Ruby. answer _honestly_ because if I feel that you're lying to me I’ll _shock_ you again, _are we clear?_ ”  

 

The mere mention of getting shocked again, made Ruby’s blood run cold. “ _W-we're_ clear.”

 

Jonquil just nodded curtly. “First question: You got your Silver Eyes from your mother, Summer Rose, correct?”

 

Ruby swallowed a lump in her throat. “ _Y-yes._ ” She had never learned exactly what the origins of her eyes from Qrow _or_ Oscar, she had assumed it was another magical gift he had given at some point but that had never been confirmed, all she knew for sure was that they came from her mother.

 

“Do you believe you can control them?”

 

“ _No._ ” throughout the War, Ruby had tried to get some sort of rudimentary hold of her power but with limited success, it was still something that happened involuntarily when she was upset.

 

“What triggers the Silver Eyes?”

 

“Emotion. When I'm _really_ angry or sad.” It made her feel like a ticking time bomb at times, like at any moment she could go off and hurt or maybe even _kill_ someone close to her, during the war there had been some... _close calls_. The silver flames didn't discriminate between friend or foe ans that scared Ruby.

 

“Would you say your eyes are _magic_ in nature?”

 

“ _Yes._ ” the strength of her eyes didn't seem to draw from Aura, she had been able to use them even at times where her Aura was completely depleted. It didn't even feel the same, ever since the first time she used her eyes, she could just tell it was _different_.

 

“What would you say, are you eyes most effective application?”

 

“Their most effective against Grimm, it can kill any Grimm in a matter of seconds. It also does something to other kinds of magic.” During the Fall her eyes had made short work of the Ancient Wyvern, turning it to solid stone in the blink of an eye. Through a few moments during the War she had learned that lesser Grimm just _disintegrated._

 

“Elaborate on what you think it does to magic.”

 

“I’m not really sure. _I-I_ think, that people with magic, like the Maidens are more susceptible than a regular person.” The magic of maidens acted _strangely_ when it came in contact with Ruby’s eyes. It seemed to hurt them more and even make their magic _weaker_ , if only temporarily, at the time no one could(or wanted to) explain that inexplicable side effect and even now, she still didn’t know.

 

“Do you think that if you had child, they would be born with your Silver Eyes?”

 

“...” Ruby didn’t like the implications of that question. Even so she wasn’t even sure if that would be the case or not. It had been something she had thought about absently once or twice: If she and Weiss ever had a child, would it have Silver Eyes? The thought of someone capitalizing on that to make an army of Silver-Eyed Warriors made her sick to her stomach.

 

Jonquil made a vaguely annoyed noise before Ruby’s body was lit a blaze in agony as she was shocked once again. Crying out loudly into the echoey lab, despite how much pain each cry held, no one in the room seemed fazed in the slightest  

 

“I asked you a question, Ruby.” he said calmly, as if testing her to stay silent and get shocked again.

 

“I _think_ so, _why?_ Are going to _use_ me to make an army or something?” she tried her best to sound disgusted and not frightened.

 

Jonquil shook his head. “That’s _too_ many variables, _one_ of you is dangerous enough. Just making sure this power isn't past between individuals, like with the Maidens.” he flipped to another page in his clipboard. “I just want to make sure your the _last_ of your kind.”

 

The way he said that last part, made Ruby’s heart begin beating faster.

 

“ _Now_ comes the fun part, _Ruby_. i'm going to give you a needle and your gonna answer more questions, ok?” Jonquil took a medium sized syringe filled with a clear liquid from his cart and motioned for Unseelie to come forward.

 

At the word “needle” Ruby tensed around her restraints, she had always been really _scared_ of needles and that was when they were being handled by trained and _trusted_ professionals in a controlled environment and none of those factors were present here. She needed _to get away._

 

The restraint on her left side suddenly opened and her arm was seized in a bruising grip by Unseelie, completely stopping her from moving. Her breathing was getting more and more erratic, her heart felt like it was gonna explode. She wanted to shut her eyes but because of the clamps digging into the underside of her eyelids, she _couldn't._    

 

“Calm _down_ , Ruby.” Jonquil said more mocking than reassuring, not that anything that he could say could be reassuring to _anybody_ . “This is just _lysergsäure-diäthylamid_ , it’s a sedative, it’s going to calm you down.”

 

Though she struggled all she could, screaming and shouting herself hoarse, it made no difference, she even tried to activate her Aura but unsurprisingly she couldn't. The needle pierced a vein in her wrist and she was injected with the clear liquid and her arm was placed back in it’s restraint.

 

Jonquil took his seat once again, flipping through his clipboard without a care in the world. “Alright, _shall we begin?_ ”

 

________________________

 

Blake was currently at a loss, along with everyone else. After the collective cold/hot flash it wasn't long before Weiss had found them in the supermarket and told them about the rain. _Rain_ in Atlas just wasn't a thing, it snowed all year round. For something so drastic to happen to the weather could only mean one thing. _A Maiden,_ the implications were worrying to say least. _Did it mean one had escaped?_

 

 _Even if that were the case, could a maiden with little-to-no grasp on her powers do something this drastic?_ Blake thought to herself.

 

She hoped Oscar could shine some light on what exactly was going on. But as of the current moment he was nowhere to be found, the group had made their way back to their designated meetup spot at the airstrip after Weiss found them buying supplies. They had been waiting almost an hour to no avail.

 

Everyone was beginning to get worried. Yang was the first to get antsy, she was pacing back and forth in the small little hangar occasionally looking out the windows to stare at the rain. Blake wanted to stop her but she knew it was a pointless endeavor, if she got her to stop pacing she would just start tapping her feet or chewing at her nails.

 

Weiss simply sat up against the wall, all wrapped up in Ruby’s cloak like a mummy, Blake noted that with the sudden change of moisture in the air, they would need to change the bandages on her hand soon. When she split away from the group she had apparently got in contact with Winter and got confirmation that “ _someone_ ” inside the Atlas Military Industrial Complex was in with Trackers and the fact that “that someone” might be General Glass himself did not ease anybody’s worries.

 

Taiyang, however. Was Blake’s current object of concern, now that everything had gotten the chance settle in and he didn't to provide any emotional support at the moment. He was reclining in a chair he had managed to find, hands behind his head and feet propped up on a wooden crate. He was staring up at the ceiling, face utterly blank and his usually warm blue eyes were glassy and _dead._ He seemed... _gone_ , just no longer there, the man had just lost...a _brother_ and was poised to lose his daughter. Compared to Yang and even, Weiss, his initial reaction had been subdued, Blake couldn't even imagine what he was feeling on the inside now.

 

Maybe she should talk to him but then again...what could _she_ say? _Maybe_ could get Yang to say something, just have her make she he’s ok. She knew that lack of communication would be this operation’s downfall.

 

But before she could call over Yang, the hangar door began to slowly open and all eyes fell upon it, with intensity and anticipation.

 

It was Oscar. And behind him was a newer, _sleeker_ looking airship, definitely an improvement over what they previously had, in fact it looked state of the art, _military grade_. It was quite obvious equipped with two high caliber machine guns under each wing and Dust knew what she couldn't see.

Oscar simply stood in rain and calmly smiled behind his sunglasses. “Sorry i'm late, I hope no one worried _too_ hard.” he said in his usually reserved cadence, gesturing for the group to come out and observe their new means of transport.

 

Yang whistled as she investigated the vehicle, awed by its superiority to their previous ship. “Damn, Oscar. How did you even finding something like this?”

 

Oscar smiled his same polite smile before clearing his throat. “It’s a prototype, the “ _CE-17 Moineau_ ” a lightweight air-to-surface assault vehicle, capable of also deploying soldiers if the need be, the project was halted due to budgetary cuts in favor of the Atlesian Knight development. This combat ready prototype was _stolen_ and subsequently sold on the black market to yours truly.”

 

Yang immediately fired back with a smug. “How much did _that_ cost?”

 

Oscar yet again smiled this time more sheepishly. “I’d rather not say.”

 

From behind, Blake heard Weiss say. “ _Any_ price is worth it to save Ruby.”

 

Turning his head away from Yang and the airship. “Of course. But enough about the airship, i'm sure you all felt your body’s changes in temperature and have noticed this... _worrying_ weather.” Oscar pointed up to the sky, as if it wasn't obvious enough. “Something _drastic_ has happened with the Maidens.”

 

Blake voiced her suspicions from earlier. “Do you think one could have lost control of her powers while trying to escape?”

 

Shaking his in disagreement Oscar continued. “ _No_ , the magic I felt came from far away, to the southwest, _Vacuo_ , most assuredly.”

 

“What does it mean?” Weiss asked, a question everyone had on their minds. Maidens were extremely powerful, they had all seen that with their own eyes but _this_ , it seemed even beyond their capabilities.

 

Shaking his head Oscar said the one thing none them expected, nor wanted to hear, “I _don't_ know. Usually I can discern the actions of Maiden through their magic but this time it is unlike _anything_ i've ever felt before.”

 

The full weight of Oscar’s word quickly sunk and the group simply stood in the absurd Atlas rain in silence. Oscar had been alive for thousands of years and _this_ was something he’d never seen before? Of course _that_ didn't bode very well.

 

“ _Well_ , moping isn't going to solve anything. We can all still fight, so we should, it's the least we can do for the Maidens, for _Ruby_.” Taiyang said breaking the silence, with a voice filled with wrought iron determination.

 

Digging into his suit pockets Oscar retrieved a remote, pressing one of the button, the airship’s rear boarding ramp deployed and he turned to board.”Mr. Xiao Long is quite correct. We need to act and quickly, grab any supplies you acquired and we’ll make for Halcón. If we’re lucky we should be there by early morning.”   

 

Weiss quickly boarded after Oscar, while Yang and Taiyang gathered up all the supplies they'd gotten. Some food, water, cooler clothes, medical supplies and some extra Dust. Blake had tried to find a specific book that could perhaps shed some light on what was going on but had no luck. Nonetheless the group was as prepared as they thought they could be.

 

Once everyone had boarded the Airship took off into the hazy yellow skies of Atlas and began its way to Vacuo.

 

 _They would be their soon. Ruby and the others just needed to fight a little longer._  

           

________________________

 

“Do you know how Summer Rose died, Ruby?” The shadowy figure asked in a voice far beyond sinister, each word echoing throughout Ruby’s head like broken record stuck on repeat.

 

“ _I don't know! I don’t know!_ ” Ruby screamed, pleaded, _begged_. She was scared and confused. Everything had suddenly become so loud and so dark and she didn't know why. She couldn't remember where she was.

 

Loud as a cannon blast the figure spoke as though it were a demon beyond comprehension. “ _Why_ , it was _you_ who killed her...”

 

Ruby struggled her hardest to stand or to even crawl away from the terrible shadows before her but something was stopping her from moving, in the ways that she wanted she felt nauseous like she'd just been hit the stomach with a baseball bat. She could barely comprehend what was happening but she knew she didn't kill her mom! _She knew!_

 

“You're... _lying_ .” Was all she could muster weakly, in response. She felt like was falling or tumbling, like she was in constant movement. Shapes and patterns danced through her vision at increasing speed and intensity. Nothing made any sense. Where was she? Where was everyone else? Where was _Weiss?_

 

“ _He’s right. Everyone dies because of you. You can’t save anyone._ ” a voice rang out from inside Ruby’s head, dripping malice and contempt, it sounded far more terrifying than the voice of the shadow.

 

Visions of her mother’s smiling face joined the flashing shapes and lines. Something suddenly smashed Ruby in the face, _hard_ and before she could react to the pain, she saw where she was. It wasn't dark anymore, instead it was _snowy_ , it was cliff where her mother’s grave was, only the cliff was barren, no grave in sight.

 

The sky wasn't right either, she didn't know how or why but it was just wrong and taking a look around Ruby realized everything was just beyond awfully _wrong._ She felt like there was gun pressed up against her heart and someone was hammering nails into her skull. She tried to close her eyes but she still couldn't get away from any of it.

 

 _“Think of how many people you've killed. You waste of space.”_ The new voice demanded and before Ruby knew it, her mother appeared before her like the snap of someone's fingers. Standing draped in her white cloak with her own pair of silver eyes staring blankly right through Ruby.

 

 _Summer_ tilted her head and smiled brightly at Ruby, her silver eyes suddenly shining with happiness, Ruby was overjoyed to see her mother in the this horrible nightmare and immediately tried to hug her but to no avail, no matter how much she struggled she couldn't move. A tear rolled down Summer’s cheek and her warm smile morphed into a wicked, depraved grin, her previously white teeth turning a sickening bright red as if stained with blood.

 

“You're _such_ a disappointment, Ruby. I didn't _want_ to die but _you_ couldn't save me!” she said in a deep distorted voice as she flailed its arms wildly, inhumanly, looking and sounding more like a monster than a person.

 

Ruby tried to look away from this distorted vision of her mother as it began shambling towards her, mouth agape and eyes open far too wide. _Summer_ lunged at Ruby and grabbed her shoulders. “ _All you do is get people killed!_ ”

 

Sliding her pale pallid hands up on to Ruby’s face, Summer jerked it to the side, forcing her to look upon another sight that was past horrific.

 

 _Bodies_ , burning bodies as far as the eye could see, stretching out to infinity, far beyond the scope of reality. As Ruby’s silver eyes scanned this abhorrent horizon she saw ghastly visions from her past...   

 

_Penny._

 

_Pyrrha._

 

_Jaune._

 

_Nora._

 

_Ren._

 

_Ilia_

 

_Team SSSN_

 

_Sunny._

 

_The other Maiden’s and..._

 

_Qrow._

 

Each person had a _Crescent Rose_ embedded in their chests, blade peeking out of their backs. Each smiled and waved at Ruby as she cried for somebody, _anybody_ to save her from...whatever _torture_ this was.

 

Sobs were her only reply, not her own but the sobs of the dead, all crying bitter tears of complete and utter anguish, the tears of those who didn't want to die, the tears of those Ruby had killed through her incompetence and _inaction_.  

 

 _Summer_ whispered into Ruby’s ear. “Look at what _you_ did.”

 

Tears were pouring down Ruby’s face now as well, the guilt was far too much to bear, it was crushing her soul into dust. “I'm _sorry!_ I'm _so_ sorry!” she wailed to the field of endless dead but her apology was not accepted and she was only given silence in return, no longer worthy of even tears.

 

“You're _pathetic_...” A voice came from behind her, not the Shadow or Summer but someone different, someone familiar, they sounded just as disgusted with Ruby as all the others, maybe even more so.

 

Something forcibly turned Ruby around, to face the new voice and she was visually assaulted by the sight of _Yang_ and _Blake_ completely _gored_ and lying face down in the bloody snow, a Crescent Rose embedded into each of them. In between the two lifeless husks stood _Weiss_ , bloodied and beaten, holding her own Crescent Rose in sniper mode and pointing it right at Ruby, behind her stood a slew of buildings engulfed by raging silver fires.  

 

Ruby was _beyond_ relieved to see Weiss at first but even in her current state she could _physically_ feel the hate and disgust emanating from her, like insects crawling and biting all over her. “ _W-weiss?_ What going on? I'm really scared.”

 

The fear was plain in her voice but Weiss didn't look like she cared in the slightest. She wrinkled her nose in revulsion. “You should be _scared_ . I'm going to do something I _should_ have done a long time ago.”   

 

Ruby shook her head and trembled where she stood, still unable to move. “I'm so confused, please, Weiss-”

 

“ **_SHUT UP!_ ** ” Weiss screamed, cutting Ruby off and silencing any of the terrified woman’s future attempts at speaking, the flames were casting a heavy shadow over the entire scene, bathing it undulating darkness.

 

“All you do is hurt people, Ruby… all you do is _hurt_ me.” She slid the bolt back on Crescent Rose and primed a shot. “You try so hard to help others but in the end...”

 

**_“BANG!”_ **

 

Without warning Weiss shot, and the bullet hit Ruby square in the chest and immediately an inferno of agony erupted throughout her whole body, as the air was ripped from her lungs. Her muscles clenched and she dug her fingernails into her palms so hard she almost drew blood. The pain only seemed to grow with each passing instant, each burning breath she took in ratcheting higher and higher, eventually Ruby lost sight of Weiss because her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she seemingly passed out.

 

Something splashed all over Ruby and she realized she was in a body of water, completely naked and alone, the water was _cold_ and even felt a bit _gritty_ , when she inhaled she quickly realized that it was _not water_ ...water didn't smell like _that,_ in fact she didn't know anything that smelt like _that._

 

In this dark abyss of mysterious liquid, Ruby couldn't think clearly, she was vaguely aware of the scene that had just transpired between her and _Weiss?_ But It felt so _far_ away, so muddy, so blurry.

 

What was happening? Was she dead? Was this a punishment for being such a terrible person?

 

Was she a terrible person? Of course she was. Good people... _good people_ didn't experience _this._ Whatever _this_ may be.

 

“ _You feel empty, don't you? Like you're not a good person, like you're a terrible creature beyond redemption?_ ” A distant voice called out through the darkness, foggily familiar while at the same time unknowable through a veil of distortion.  

 

“ _Yes!_ ” Ruby immediately agreed with the voice inside the liquid abyss, she felt all those things and worse, and so, _so_ much _worse._ Even in the gritty, smelly, _whatever_ , she felt the disgust and self hatred.

 

“ _You want to save the world, save everyone. But you're too weak aren't you? You want to be stronger?_ ”

 

“ _Yes!_ ” Ruby agreed again, anything, _anything_ to make this torture end, anything to be strong enough to not be such a disgusting failure.

 

_“Then what are you going to do about it?”_

 

Ruby blinked and Suddenly she was somewhere else _again_ , somewhere that was once _again..._ familiar.

 

An _Interrogation_ room. _The_ Interrogation room _,_ the one she felt as though she had spent her entire life in after the war, after Salem.

 

It was cramped and smelt much too deeply of printer ink, coffee, and smoke. The walls were painted a muted beige that was noticeably chipping, revealing a layer of off-white underneath. The dull colors themselves were enough to make Ruby’s skin crawl.

 

It was _exactly_ as she remembered, a fact that Ruby dreaded down to her very core. The only thing that brought her comfort was the fact she was alone.

 

“ _So..._ why exactly do you think Miss Nikos destroyed P.E.N.N.Y Model 374 during the Vytal Festival?”

 

Out of thin air, a woman appeared before Ruby, sitting across from her at a small metal table, flipping through files and taking notes. Behind her stood another woman, smoking a cigar and looking like she wanted to hurt somebody.

 

The woman looked to be in her early forties, with neat dark blue hair and pretty brown. On any other occasion Ruby would have thought she looked like a nice person, but she knew she was anything but.

 

“ _Penny_ . Her name was _Penny_.” Ruby heard herself say with a twinge of ferocity, quickly realizing that in this moment she had no control over her body and was merely watching as things played out before her eyes.

 

The blue haired woman’s face remained an indifferent mask, while the woman with black simply scoffed.

 

“Miss Rose” The blue haired woman began, her voice a mix of exhaustion and annoyance. “please _just_ answer the question.”

 

The callousness of the two woman made Ruby shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Why did they have to be so cruel? She had wondered, the war had been traumatizing enough and the questions they were asking made Ruby feel like she was a criminal, like she had done something wrong on purpose!

 

“I already told _you!_ She was being manipulated by Emerald’s Semblance...Pyrrha _wasn't_ a murderer!” she cried, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Ruby remembered this session all too well, she often had night terrors about it. Any moment now everything would fall apart.

 

Clearing her throat the blue haired woman flipped to a new file. “Okay...Miss Rose, since _you_ don't want to retread old ground, let’s talk about the reason you're here today and let me make this abundantly clear. No amount of temper tantrums you throw will stop us from figuring out what happened.”

 

“You're an _adult_ , Miss Rose. You can’t act like a spoiled brat and pretend like the rules don't apply to you!” the black haired woman interjected, probably louder than was strictly necessary.

 

Both of what the women said made Ruby shrink in on herself, no matter how often she relieved this scene it never ceased to make her feel atrocious.

 

“Tell us about what happened in _Kisuisen_.”

 

The moment the words left the blue haired woman’s mouth, Ruby began to cry out of pure emotional overload. She shook her head desperately, in either a feeble attempt at dissuading her interrogators or to try and physically dislodge all the imagery that poured into head at the mere mention of _that place._ Even the part of Ruby that was aware all of this was a just a memory or a dream or a _hallucination,_ had trouble keeping calm, helplessly watching herself suffer one of the _worst_ experiences of her life

 

Through her tears and hiccups Ruby pathetically pleaded with the two women. “ _P-please...I_ can't! I _j-just_ can’t!” she just wanted more than anything to be left alone, thinking back to what happened that day was...beyond her capabilities.

 

Even after all these years, after all comfort and reassurances. She _still_ wasn't strong enough.   

  

The black haired woman slammed her fist on the table so hard, it made Ruby jolt backwards and fall onto the floor. Beyond frustrated, the woman probably just wanted to get her back into her seat so they could continue there _interrogation_ , there was no way that she could have known that grabbing her would cause such an extreme reaction.

 

When Ruby felt the black haired woman’s harsh grip on her wrist, she felt like she was about _die_ , her heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to _break_ her rib cage _and so_ her fight or flight response kicked in. she struggled against the woman’s hold on her like a cornered animal, kicking and screaming at the top of her lungs.

 

At the time, Ruby regarded while watching the traumatic scene unfolding before her, she had stopped being aware of where she was, everything was just touch and instinct, all legal and social understanding was _gone_ from her. She felt as though her life were in danger, so she fought with all her might to survive.

 

To this day, Ruby didn't understand how Weiss knew something was wrong, the interrogation rooms were all supposedly soundproof and she was pretty sure no one watching behind the two-way mirror would have notified her. Nonetheless, using her semblance, Weiss blasted the room’s door off its hinges and in a still surprising feat of adrenaline fueled strength, she pushed the black haired woman off of her, before quickly kneeling down and scooping Ruby into a comforting embrace.

 

Only then did the screams stop, Ruby snuggling her quaking form as close to Weiss as she physically could. She remembered that Weiss had been shaking too but not out of fear, she was shaking with abject _fury._ She was so filled with rage that she couldn't even speak.

 

The scene would have done a lot to ease Ruby’s nerves after everything she had been forced to sit through so far, however life was proving far too cruel for such things, as quickly as she appeared, Weiss began to fade away as Ruby’s vision once again went dark.       

 

When Ruby finally regained consciousness, for real, she was back in her glass holding cell, now bound to what she could only describe as a rack, instead of a gurney, that was binding each of her limbs to a corresponding corner of the rectangular structure. Ruby felt a pain unlike any other coursing through every inch of her body, it was as if she had been in car accident and broken every bone in her body beyond repair. Each breath in felt like a sledgehammer to her lungs and each breath out she gagged on something _sturdy_ that was lodged in her throat.

 

Thankfully, she noted that the clamps had been removed from her eyes, so she could close and open her eyes freely, although both eyes burned with a telltale chemicallyness, like she had spent too much time in a pool. Glancing around she saw that she her reflection in one her cell’s glass walls, she couldn't help but cringe at what she saw. On her face was some kind of red breathing apparatus, which wasn't hooked up to _anything_ so she had no clue of its purpose.

 

Looking away from her face Ruby saw she had been stripped down to her underwear, and was completely _soaked_ in blood dripping from several freshly stitched wounds and leaving quickly cooling crimson trails all across her body. The biggest ran across her chest, tracing the underside of her breasts and surprising stung the least, looking down Ruby could see that on her knees were more than just stitched cuts, _metal plating_ was bolted to each side of both knees and the same could be said about her elbows, stitched cuts, _surgery incisions_ and metal plates bolted on each side, encasing the joint.   

 

 _What happened?_ Ruby couldn't help but wonder what Jonquil had done to her, had he _operated_ on her? which parts of what she saw were real, which were in her mind? Regardless each nightmarish moment of her torture seemed to draw attention to one issue in particular. _Her insecurities_ , her inner doubts and fears, he was dredging up darkness from within her and...offering her a way out?

 

 _“Then what are you going to do about it?”_ the voice had said.

 

Was Jonquil trying to _force_ her overcome her weaknesses? Was he trying to change her?

 

_What am I going to do about it?_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dark stuff, huh? maybe so, maybe not. I feel bad for Ruby but jonquil really thinks he's doing the right thing, and by context clues alone it's pretty clear what he's trying to do to her but will he succeed?
> 
> I liked the bit of character development i had for Cerise in the chapter, he's an interesting guy, if a bit indecisive. but then again who inst? 
> 
> #eyesontai(this still stands)
> 
> I'm so embarrassed that I released this chapter(unfinished) and dropped off the face of the earth for a hundred years but I'm back and I hope you all enjoy the next chapter.


	22. Eminence Front

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LIVE!
> 
> what's up folks, remember me? and my little story?
> 
> are you glad it's back? maybe so? maybe not?
> 
> also if you're reading this PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go back to the chapter called "Heroes" when I posted all those months back I actually posted an incomplete version of the chapter so please go back and read it! I left out something kinda important because im a fool
> 
> after you do that(or don't) please enjoy this chapter, it is very long.

**Chapter 18: Eminence Front**

 

Sipping away on mug of steaming hot coffee, Argus took a mental note of his surroundings, Halcón was a lively place, not _Baagh Shahar_ lively...but a different kind of lively.

 

_lively lively lively lively lively lively lively lively_. Argus thinks to himself, he thinks of abandoned buildings, hotels, possible contacts, and he even thinks about the city's sewer system, he thinks about about every rock Ozpin could hide under, every nook and cranny he could have shelved himself in, he thinks of any brash fools who’d think it’d be a could a good idea to shelter him at a time like this.

 

He also thinks about what to do when they find him. On their own, Argus knew they stood no chance against Ozpin and all his lackeys, they would need to separate them, using either Knights or Grimm. Releasing Grimm in the city would certainly cause a commotion but they were exceedingly unpredictable without Bosch here to guide them and apparently Ozpin had destroyed _all_ of the 550’s in Atlas, _single handedly_. Grimm would be most effective for making a distraction but with a higher risk, while knights were reliable but less effective, Argus took another swig of his coffee and contemplated it’s taste...it was alright, not the worst coffee he’d ever drank but he certainly wouldn't be committing it to memory, not bitter enough, too watery.

 

If Ozpin killed him today, this would be his last cup of coffee, and he’d probably have died protecting Noire or Cerise because the Knights weren't a good enough distraction or the Grimm did something unpredictable. All the memories of every coffee Argus ever had would flash through his mind and end with _this_ one. _Mediocre_ not even tantalizingly bad, just _meh_.

 

He took another sip.

 

_Ahh...fuck it. We’ll use both._

 

And as if on queue Noire and Cerise returned to their table, Noire holding two plates stacked high with all sorts of egg-based breakfast foods, so many Argus didn't feel like naming them all and Cerise simply held _one_ plate with some fried eggs and sausage in a much more reasonable proportion.

 

Argus quirked his head toward Noire and gave him a questioning look. “Trying to eat the whole buffet, are we?” after all his replications Argus had never seen him have an appetite quite like _that._

 

Noire simply shrugged, smug looking grin on his face. “What can I say, they had an _EGG_ cellent selection.”

 

Immediately Cerise burst out laughing and Argus rolled his eyes so hard they almost flew out of his head and set about finishing this unremarkable cup of coffee and soundly ignoring his two morons as the babbled their lives away. Looking up at the sky he took note of how dark it was, large dark clouds crowded up the pale orange, the warning of an incoming storm. Distantly he heard Noire ask Cerise why he dyed his hair and shaved his beard which quickly divulged into a retelling of the events in Atlas, which then in turn gave way to talks about hair dye.

 

Nothing of _real_ note, although Noire did get overly defensive when Cerise asked if he could dye his hair. They should probably stop lollygagging at some point. Taking the last gulp of coffee, Argus noticed a shape out of the corner of his eye, an airship heading towards the airstrip. He smiled almost instantly, placing his empty mug on the table with a little more force than necessary.

 

_Bingo._

 

He snapped his fingers, getting Noire and Cerise’s attention as he grabbed his cane and stood up. “See that airship, boys?”

The two struggled to catch a glimpse of the aircraft in question, obviously not as keen as Argus was, well _no one_ really was but that was beside the point. He raised his cane and pointed at the speeding object. “That’s Ozpin.”

 

Noire folded his arms skeptically. “How can you be so sure? _Gramps?_ ”

 

Twirling his cane like a baton, Argus poked Noire in the shoulder and almost knocked his chair over. “ _That,_ my boys, is a _CE-17 Moineau,_ a prototype aircraft that _we_ stopped the production of, if _anybody_ is flying one, they are doing so illegally. _Now_ who do we know was in _Atlas_ and most certainly in a hurry to get _here?_ Enough to purchase an illegal aircraft so long as it was fast?”

 

Both boys, slowly connected the dots, dumbfounded by Argus’ eye for detail and exclaimed “ _Ozpin!_ ” at the same time.

 

Argus immediately turned and started walking in the direction of the airstrip. “Let’s hustle, boys!” he said gesturing for the two to follow. There was a spring in his step, despite the poor weather and even poorer coffee, he still had a smile, like he had nothing to worry about.

 

_And why should he worry? He couldn't die today…_

 

_That coffee had been too bland to be his last._

 

________________________

 

With what was more force than strictly necessary, the door to the meager Blacksmith’s shop was swung open and a gust of dry frigid air followed with it. On reaction the man behind the counter flinched at the loud noise but when he saw the apparel of exactly who was entering his store, he flinched again.

 

“W-welcome, Ma’am. _uhm-how_ ca-can I help you today?” was all he could muster, sweating bullets as the tall bronze haired woman scanned over his shop regarding each weapon and piece of armor with a casual indifference.

 

“You the _smithy_ , then?” she said in a rich _accented_ voice that was almost sultry. Though the exact accent he couldn't really place, it was similar to the accent of that red haired Huntsman that had passed through the town a few days ago but _slightly_ different.  

 

Shaking himself back to focus the the smith answered the woman with a shaky. “ _Y-yes_.”

 

The woman locked her shining pale eyes on to his simple brown ones and he was too scared to look away. “ _You_ are the issue of _Hideyoshi_ _Hēphaistos?_ ” she said with more mocking disbelief than the shock and awe he was used to when people brought up his family name.

 

He nodded his head again, now somehow sweating more than before. “I am, _Hideyori_ Hēphaistos, yes.”

 

The woman smiled devilishly and grabbed one of Hideyori’s shoulder in a death grip and nearly pulled him over the counter as she brought him right up to her face, this close he could see the shiny copper colored scales on the woman’s neck. “Show me your _real_ wares. These pitiful works are an affront to my eyes.”

 

From the time he was an infant Hideyori’s father had told him to never _ever_ , under _any_ circumstances _ever_ , show _anyone_ the family armory, so now he faced with a choice, his eyes darted around the room, to his right was a dagger that was easily within arms reach, if he grabbed it he could at least try and defend his family’s most well guarded secret or die trying or he could be coward and forsake a generation’s worth of tradition...to Hideyori the answer was obvious.

 

“ _R-right_ this way, Ma’am.” he stammered leading the woman to the shop’s secret vault. Upturning the carpet of the back room, revealing a thick metal door with several heavy duty locks. Not hesitating for even an instance, Hideyori retrieved the key ring from his pocket and began the tedious task of unlocking each lock in the right order, with the right key, so on and so forth. He was surprised he didn't mess it up with amount he was shaking.

 

With a heavy _clunk_ the door opened on its own, revealing at flight of stairs that looked to extend into a abyss of blackness. Smiling his best, Hideyori made for his escape but the woman roughly grabbed his shoulder again and halted him indefinitely. “Not so hasty now, _Smith of_ _Hēphaistos_ , please lead the way.”

 

Swallowing harder than ever before in his life, he began descending the stairs, the woman following close behind, after reaching a certain depth into the vault, several automated dust lamps flickered to life and swathed the once dark space in a dull green light and the armory’s contents were revealed.

 

As a child, Hideyori had always been superbly _underwhelmed_ by what exactly his family’s secret vault held within it. Two sets of armor sat on racks, one dull and gold and the other shiny and silver. Pushed up against the right wall was a dusty table which sat a partially opened crate of bullets, a golden shield, and two swords, one sheathed in a simple scabbard and the other holstered into a leather belt. He was worried his accompaniment might feel the same sense of disappointment as him and do something _drastic_ but much to his relief, the woman seemed to be quite satisfied with what she was looking at. Once they reached the bottom of the stairs Hideyori stepped into the middle of the largely empty room and extended his arms. “H-here we are, _please_ take whatever you like.”

 

The woman walked over to the sets of armor and gave both a good inspection, looking rather bemused by both pieces. Hideyori stepped beside her and parroted what had been told to him by his father, pointing at the golden colored set first. “Mistrali kentarch armor, hand forged Burn Dust-Bronze alloy. Light but sturdy, it can take a beating.” although the beautiful as the set was, engraved with intricate, overlapping circular patterns, it was incomplete, only including a standard muscle cuirass, gauntlets and greaves, lacking any kind of helmet.

 

Pointing to the other set. “ _That_ however, is Animan Shogunate armor made from a cold forged Earth Dust-Steel alloy, it’s heavy but it’ll protect from just about _anything_. You won't find a stronger defense anywhere else.” this set was the obvious gem of the meager collection and every piece was accounted for, kabuto to sune-ate, the whole piece glittered in the Dust lighting like it were made of diamonds, especially it’s helmet, which held an especially eye catching design, several long lengths of metal protruded from the back, almost as if imitating the rays of the sun. It was a masterpiece and no doubt it _had_ to be the reason the woman here.

 

“ _You_ can keep that one, don't like being slugged down. Also that helmet looks completely ridiculous ” the woman said nonchalantly shrugging off her jacket and unclasping the Pieces of the kentarch armor and strapping them on herself with an almost rehearsed smoothness.

 

Hideyori was a bit...confused to say the least. “Are you sure? That shogunate armor is _literally_ priceless.”

 

The woman shrugged as she adjusted the cuirass on her chest. “It’s too heavy, I'm not lugging it around with me, if it's worth such a pretty penny sell it yourself, _smith_. Coin means less than nothing to me.”

 

Swiftly the woman picked her coat up off the floor and put it back on, zipping it all the way up, concealing the armor that now lay underneath, she moved around a bit to make nothing was caught or being constricted, when she was satisfied with her range of movement she set her sights on table.

 

The first thing she grabbed was the rounded golden shield and dusted it off with her sleeve, revealing its shiny, pale gem-encrusted surface to the artificial light of the room.

 

Hideyori leaned forward as the woman fitted the shield to her arm and pointed at one of the clear gems. “Those aren't diamonds, they're Blank Dust crystals, so long as you keep a steady flow Aura through this shield, you can absorb any elemental based attacks and send them right back at your opponent.”

 

The woman smiled at Hideyori’s explanation of the shield’s properties and gently placed it back down on the table before she reached for the sword that was holsterd in a leather belt. Well it wasn't really a sword  it was more of a lever-action shotgun that was modified to also function as a sword, with two blades forged on the opposite sides of the barrel.

 

The woman looked confused for a moment as she unholstered the weapon and began fiddling the lever-action mechanism built into its curved handle. Pushing it forward with a click and before Hideyori could stop her pulling it back.

 

For whatever reason the weapon was loaded, so when the action completed a spray of buckshot angrily flew from the barrel and hit Hideyori point blank in the chest, killing him instantly and sending him flying against the wall knocking over both armor racks and splattering blood, viscera, and the shogunate armor _everywhere_.

 

The woman looked at the weapon and it’s handiwork, for a moment in silence, before donning the leather belt and holstering the blade-shotgun. “Oh, I quite like _that_.” she said smugly to no one in particular.

 

Turning back to the table, the woman slung the thinner blade still in its scabbard over her shoulder, stuffed her pockets with as much ammunition as she could carry, and grabbed the shiny shield, before swiftly making her exit, not even bothering to close the _Hēphaistos_ family’s secret vault door on her way out.

 

Now fully armed to her liking, she would set out closer into the eye of the storm.   

  
  


________________________

 

The moment they touched down in Halcón, Oscar spared no time putting as much distance between himself and airstrip as he could, quickly renting a space for the _Moineau_ and emptying it of their supplies. He gave everyone a scant few minutes to change into cooler clothes if necessary.

 

He was being cautious, which was smart since this was enemy territory after all...but it was _hot_ , at least in comparison to Atlas and Weiss didn't do well with heat, even if there was a surprisingly nice breeze, she was still sweating bullets, wearing a thick wool peacoat, insulated pants, and a _scarf._

 

So needless to say she ditched all of those, instead opting for a simple gray skirt and white blouse Blake had picked up in Atlas. It wasn't anything fancy...or really combat efficient but it would keep the heat at bay, so she’d take it. Weiss thought about wearing Ruby’s cloak but decided against it simply folding it up and holding it close to her chest, she also slung Crescent Rose’s compact form over her shoulder, it was heavy but Weiss didn't care in the slightest.

 

Blake and Yang had also taking advantage of their allotted change time, ditching their layers for more temperature appropriate clothing. Blake donning a purple halter neck top, black spandex pants, and a thin white cardigan. While Yang, traded her warmer attire for a neon orange tube top and some criminally _short_ shorts, though she inexplicably kept on her fur trimmed bomber jacket.

 

Oscar and Taiyang, however opted for minor wardrobe changes, the latter merely losing his winter coat and rolling up the sleeves of his beige button up shirt, while the former did nothing, still wearing his full suit and leather gloves.

 

“The others have set up base in the an abandoned building a few blocks ahead, they should be expecting us. Keep your eyes peeled on the way. I feel _someone_ searching for us.” Oscar muttered cryptically as he lead the group, in what Weiss could assume was the direction of this safe house.

 

Yang sputtered a bit at Oscar’s rather nonchalant remark about possibly being trailed and turned her head to look for any suspicious characters. “What the hell is _that_ suppose to mean?”

 

Oscar’s steps never faltered, seemingly unperturbed by the possible threat. He seemed utterly determined to make it to JNPR. “I'm not quite sure, Miss Xiao Long. but whatever it is hasnt found us _yet_ , I suggest we pick up the pace.”

 

Everyone fell silent and walked a little faster than before. Unconsciously, Weiss’ eyes darted in every which direction, scouting out every dark alleyway and shifty looking person they passed on their way.

She noticed after a few cursory glances, just how much attention they must have been drawing, a group of five very intense looking individuals, some of which very obviously armed, Weiss thought it would be clear that they were Hunters but either way, they were given a considerable birth, people near sprinting into oncoming traffic, just to give them space.

 

Weiss didn't like the feeling one bit. She looked at Blake and Yang, who were currently holding hands and to Tai and Oscar who were walking ahead them. She leaned toward Blake and whispered. “Do you notice how everyone seems... _afraid_ of us?”

 

Yangs head flipped around curiously and someone from across the street noticeably flinched. “ _Yeah_...what's up with that?”

 

The ears on top of Blake’s head flattened, she opened her mouth to speak but struggled with her words for a moment. “Well, this is _Tracker_ territory, more so than most places. We’re obviously trouble, they probably think we’re wanted or on the run. And the Tracker’s prefer people who keep their heads down. They just don't want to get involved, in any capacity.”

 

Gritting her teeth, Yang shook her head. “They really put the fear into people, don't they?”  

 

Blake shrugged. “It’s a deterrent. People are less likely to do wrong if their scared of what will happen if they get caught.”

 

“That sounds more like _threatening_ to me.” Weiss said derisively, the depravity of these Tracker’s never ceasing to disgust her. They had no morals and they didn't care about people, all that seemed to matter them was results.

 

Sighing, Blake looked at Weiss with sullen expression. “To the Association, that distinction means very little, Weiss. Even back when I was an Agent. It was something I knew and ignored, they really think their in the right.” she shook her head. “ _The greater good_ , you know? The very idea of it can make people do awful things.”

 

Yang wrapped her arm around Blake and Weiss struggled to find the right words to say. The idea of _the greater good_ was such a nebulous thing and like Blake had said it was dangerous, it was an easy to misconstrue its meaning as a way to justify atrocities. The means, no matter how cruel, are justified so long as the end is a _‘noble’_ one. It was the same kind of thinking her father held when he ran the SDC, the suffering of his workers was justified so long as he made a sound profit.

 

As effective as they might be, these ideals were not the kind Weiss could forgive.

 

________________________

 

The rest of the group’s march was spent in a tentative silence, no more queries or philosophical observations. Just the sounds of shoes on pavement.

 

Weiss’ eyes would occasionally dart around, making sure they were not being followed but mostly she would stare ahead at the two men leading the group. Oscar and Tai, they both gave off an palpable tension, with Tai it was obvious that he was trying to hide the fact he was furious but with Oscar, like most things about him now, it was hard to tell what he was really feeling at any given moment.

 

Frustration, anger, sadness, none of these, all of these? Weiss had no idea. Her trepidation at the idea of him snapping or having some kind of breakdown, was morphing into distrust, she knew that Oscar, liked keeping secrets and that he was probably hiding something from them right now.

 

He knew the man who killed Qrow, he knew a talking Grimm, and all three of them were a part of some ancient plot to rewrite history in favor of Huntsman. What did that have to do with the Trackers and the Maidens?      

 

Oscar came to a halt and the rest of the group stopped with him, Weiss was jolted out of her thoughts as she nearly walked right into Tai’s back. With his cane, he gesture to a grey building with several inactive smokestacks piercing the equally grey sky.

 

“This should be the safe house, follow me.” he said with his newly acquired curtness.

 

Walking up to a rusty looking red door, Oscar knocked on thrice in succession. From the other side of the door a commotion was heard before a flustered sounding man’s voice called out from the other side of the door. “Uhh...what’s the p-password!”  

 

Oscar pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. “Mr. Arc, we do not have a password. _Just_ open the door.”

 

Further clatter and ruckus came from behind the door before it swung open with an equal parts exhausted and embarrassed looking Jaune Arc, still wearing that stupid Pumpkin Pete hoodie sans his armor. “Welcome back, Sir! The others are waiting inside.”

 

Without another word Oscar and Tai pushed past Jaune and into the safe house, he looked like he wanted to say something Oscar was gone before he could get a chance to say it. He looked back at the three who had stayed behind with a sheepish smile. “Hey guys...long time no see, am I right?”

 

Before anyone could say anything back however, Jaune got a quizzical look on his face and asked “Where’s Ruby and Qrow? Are they scouting ahead? And what about the Maidens?”   

 

Nobody said anything and Jaune went pale as he stared at the three woman’s solemn faces and the weapon that was slung over Weiss’ shoulder, and the possible implications that they might hold. “Guys...you can't be serious?”  

 

Yang stepped forward. “In Atlas, Qrow was killed.” she said grimacing. “Ruby was taken captive.”

 

Jaune exhaled harshly as a ran a hand through his hair, Weiss heard him whisper. “ _Dammit_.” before he looked back at Yang. “What about the Maidens.” he asked semi hopefully.

 

Yang shook her head. “They're gone, too.”

 

Jaune looked incredibly frustrated for a passing moment before his face became more melancholy. “I'm so sorry guys. I-we, _we_ should have been to back you guys up. Everything happened so damn fast.” he sighed again and shook his head. “I'm really sorry you guys. Qrow was good man and Ruby...we’re gonna get her back I promise you that.”

 

Yang placed her hand on Jaune’s shoulder. “Thanks, _Vomit Boy_.”

 

The three women all began giggling

 

Jaune’s face went blank. “Oh that’s very funny, Yang, a real classic right there. C’mon lets get inside and debrief.”

 

Before Yang went inside she gave Jaune a light punch on the shoulder. “ Seriously though thanks and don't beat yourself up about this stuff, you know neither of them would want that.”

 

As Blake followed after Yang, she and Jaune shared a simple nod with each other.  

 

When Weiss’ eyes met Jaune she could tell he wanted to say something more but just like with Oscar, whatever it was went unsaid as she entered the safe house.

 

Weiss and Jaune had always had a strained relationship to say the least. Although she had outgrown the idea that he was an incompetent fighter who had no business being a Huntsman along time ago and mostly forgiven him for his unwanted romantic advancements back from their time at Beacon. _No_ , this strain came from their relationships with Ruby.

 

That was a long and uncomfortable story.

 

________________________

 

Pyrrha had loved Jaune and Jaune had loved Pyrrha but the two were never given a chance to be together, they had wasted so much time dancing around each others feelings that by the time Pyrrha finally admitted her feelings in was mere minutes before her death.

 

An experience like that gives one lots to think about, lots to reflect on.

That experience taught Jaune the danger of leaving things unsaid and the pain that could cause. He now knew that if there was something had something important to say he would say it, lest something happen again and rob him of the ability.

 

Ruby was his best friend, she was his inspiration, she was someone he admired.

 

Spending so much time traveling with her, training with her, fighting by her side. All of it made the wound that Pyrrha’s death had left hurt a little bit less.

 

It seemed like a natural progression for the admiration he felt to turn into affection.

 

This time he wouldn't let things go unsaid, even though the thought of confessing his feelings made his stomach drop, he would not make the same mistake twice.

 

It was late one evening, they had been staying in a chateau in Atlas as they searched for the relic, he and Ruby were on dish duty together. No tangible progress had been made on their search yet, so everything was quiet it for the most part, they all knew it was the calm before the storm, if what happened at Haven had set a precedent.

 

Regardless everyone still tried to find what comfort they could.

 

That’s why Jaune decided that _this_ moment was the right one.

 

“H-hey, Ruby? Can I talk to you for a second?” He asked, tinged with an obvious layer of nerves that he prayed she wouldn't notice.

 

Ruby, who was in the middle of over-enthusiastically scrubbing a dish stop and tilted her head towards Jaune. “Sure, Jaune! Is everything alright?”

 

She noticed, Ruby always seemed to notice whenever people were feeling down or on edge, it was one of the things Jaune admired about her so much.

 

Steeling himself Jaune took a deep breath. “We’re...friends right?”

 

_That was lame, that was so lame._ He thought to himself as Ruby made a confused looking face.

 

“Well, duh of course we’re friends! Team leader bros for life!” Ruby said with usual brand of vibrant vigor. She put out her hand for a high five, which Jaune reciprocated on instinct before realizing they were getting off topic.

 

For moment Jaune looked into Ruby’s still curious silver eyes as he struggles trying constrew a sentence that could properly convey his message. After several very awkward moments of stuttering and fumbling, no was progress and Jaune simply lowered and looked at the ground.

Almost immediately he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder and a warmth spread throughout his body. “Whatever it is you want to say, you can tell _me_ , Jaune. That's what friends are for, right?”

 

When he raised his head, he was greeted by Ruby’s warm smile. It was now or never, he knew what he had to say now.

 

“When...Pyrrha _died_ , there was a lot that went unsaid between us, a lot that could have been that wasn't. It’s mostly my fault for being such a blockhead but now I know, I've learned how much the regret of not saying something can hurt.” Jaune realized he was starting to tear up a bit and couldn't bare to look directly at Ruby, so he turned away.

 

“Do you get what I'm trying to say?” He asked wetly, cringing at the sound of his own voice.

 

Ruby still hadn’t released her hold on Jaune’s shoulder and in fact she had only tighten her grip, as if trying to keep him anchored in the moment. “I...I think so?”

 

She didn't sound too sure but Jaune as he continued to ramble things would all make sense in the end. “Y-you mean a lot to me, more than as just friend I think. So I guess this is a confession or something.” Jaune laughed weakly. “I just didn't want not say anything and have _something_ happen and then not be able to.”

 

Very quickly Ruby’s hand left its place on Jaune’s shoulder and he immediately turned his face back to hers in order to gauge her reaction. She was blushing but didn't look very happy, her face seemed more nervous than anything else.

 

Jaune hadn’t really guessed what Ruby’s reaction would have been to his confession but if he did he certainly not whatever face she was making right now.

 

Ruby put her hands on her cheeks and breathed out an almost apologetic sounding. “ _Oh_ , _Jaune_.”  

 

He didn't quite know how to react to that, he couldn't tell if he was being rejected or not and that was not good for his nerves, he was so anxious he couldn’t even speak.

 

Reaching out her hands Ruby grasped one of Jaune’s clammy hands in what he assumed was supposed to be a soothing gesture. She smile nervously and fidgeted abit where she stood, obviously struggling to find the right words.

 

He was being rejected, he knew it now and oh boy did _that_ realization sting. Snaking his hand free from her hold, he tried to keep his voice even as he said. “It’s ok, Ruby...you don't have to say anything. We’re just friends, I'm sor- ”

 

Before Jaune could finish his sentence however, Ruby cut him off with a rushed. “N-no, It’s not that its...” before trailing off into mumbles.

 

Jaune leaned his in closer to Ruby, intrigued now that was a reason for his rejection that wasn't just that she wasn't interested. “What is it then Ruby?” he asked trying to supressed how weak his voices was.

 

For a few moments Ruby looked really conflicted before she took a deep breath. “Jaune. You're a great guy and even better friend...and maybe if things had been different we _could_ have... _but_ Weiss and I have been together for almost two months now. And I really, _really_ love her!”

 

Before Jaune could even react to any of Ruby had just piled on him, she grasped his hand once. “Oh, you have to keep this a secret, ok? Please don't tell anyone, not even Ren! Weiss wants to keep it secret!”

 

Jaune was still trying to wrap his head around this whole _‘Ruby and Weiss’_ thing. He had noticed any difference in the duo’s behavior in the past months, Weiss must have been very serious about the whole secret thing.

 

“I’ll keep it a secret. I promise.” He said with a weak smile.

 

Without warning Ruby wrapped Jaune in a fierce hug, almost on par with the ones Yang gave. “Thank you. I hope we can still be friends after this. I still care about you, Juane.”

 

A small, vindictive part of Jaune _wanted_ to reject Ruby and tell her they were no longer friends but the rest of knew he couldn't do that, they'd been through too much together for him to just throw it all away. Sure, Ruby didn't feel the same way about him as he did her but they still cared about each other. It still didn't make it hurt any less.

 

“Yeah, of course we're still friends. Team leader bros for life, Just like you said.”

 

The two shared a short laugh with one another before parting from their embrace and eventually they returned to the dishes in a part awkward part comfortable silence until they were all complete. By the time they had finished, everyone had headed off to sleep.

 

With no words the two parted with another, much more awkward hug.

 

That night Jaune got very little sleep, he thought back on his life and his choices as he stared at the ceiling light by the bluish hues of moonlight. He felt like a complete jackass, he had told Ruby they would stay friends but he would be a liar if thought things would ever be the same between him and Ruby ever again. He wouldn't grow to resent her or anything, or at least he hoped he wouldn't but there would always be this ugly, awkward stain on their friendship. ‘That time Jaune tried to ask me out’ would always loom between them, would every nice thing he did for her be considered flirting? Would every disagreement they have stem from the fact she rejected him?  

 

Jaune mentally slapped himself out of his trance, thinking maybe if he got some sleep he could escape this disaster he had created. So he closed his eyes and waited for sleep to take him.

When he finally did sleep, he dreamt of nothing.

 

The next morning Jaune was roughly shaken awake by a cool pair of hands. Cracking open his eyes he was met Weiss Schnee standing before him, arm crossed, lips pressed together into a stern frown, and her cerulean eyes fixed with a _death_ glare so harsh it could make a Death Stalker stop dead in its tracks.

 

“We need to talk, _Arc_.” Was all she said before turning and nearly stomping out of the room. Luckily, Nora and Ren were heavy sleepers or else this whole thing would turn into a scandal.

 

Groaning, Jaune got himself out of bed and shambled out of his room and towards the kitchen where he could already see Weiss waiting for him. She was probably going to stab him, definitely threaten to stab him but there was a high possibility that she would actually stab him.

 

Upon reaching Weiss, Jaune noticed he face hasn't changed at all, she still had her arm folded and was scowling that terrifying scowl.

 

“Good morning, Jaune.” she said with undeniable tension in her voice.

 

Jaune turned his to look at one of the windows, it was fogged over but it was still very clear that sun hadn't even risen yet. “Is it even morning?” he asked groggily, trying to cut some of the tension.

 

Weiss rolled her eyes, indicating that the tension had not been cut. “That doesn't matter, we have something important to discuss. ”

 

Jaune pulled up a chair and sat at the dining table, he wanted to slam his head against it but through great self restraint he held off for the moment. “So Ruby told you about that, huh?”

 

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth, Weiss scoffed. “Would you prefer Ruby kept secrets from me?”

 

Raising his hands defensively Jaune shook his head. “N-no, of course not!”

 

Shaking her head dismissively, Weiss take a seat in the chair right across from Jaune. “My relationship with Ruby is the most important thing in my life right now and I care about it too much to let _anybody_ come between us let alone you of all people.”

 

The dismissiveness and pure disdain in Weiss’ voice didn't sit well with Jaune. Ruby was his best friend and he’d even literally saved Weiss’ life back at Haven, and he wasn't one to lord things over people but he still thought he deserved the benefit of the doubt in the very least!

 

“ _Hey_ , I’m not try to get between anyone. Me and Ruby already talked this out, there doesn't need to be anymore awkwardness or tension, Weiss.” Jaune said in a challenging tone, no longer in the mood to deal with being mistreated like this.

 

Weiss immediately matched Jaune’s tone with her own. “I'm just making sure you get a clue this time. Not like at Beacon, where you wouldn't stop harassing me. I will _not_ let you do the same to Ruby.”

 

At those memories Jaune cringed internely. She was right, he had been an ass back Beacon but he liked to think he was past all that now. Shaking his head, Jaune bit his lip. “Listen, Weiss. I'm sorry about Beacon but, I’ve grown up since then,  It’s not gonna be like that with Ruby.”

 

Weiss stood up from her seat and immediately began stomping back to her room, fists clenched. Before she reach the door she turn back to face Jaune. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, Arc. However, if I ever, ever hear that you've tried something with Ruby...I’ll have my Knight break every bone in your body.”

 

And with that she opened the door and nearly slammed it shut.

 

In the end Jaune had been right, things would never be the same between him and Ruby. There was a thin layer of unease that covered their friendship, maybe Ruby didn't feel it but Jaune could. Even after he got over his romantic feelings for Ruby, it was still there.

 

The same with Weiss, after their ‘talk’ things were never right between them, the hostility between the two slowly ebbed away over the years and only left that same thin layer of unease.

 

________________________

 

Although now was probably not the best time for either Jaune or herself to agonize over old wounds from the past. After they got Ruby and cleaned up this mess the two of them could sit down and finally bury this hatchet.

 

The first thing Weiss noticed about the warehouse was the amount of clutter everywhere, computers and various types of camera equipment dotted almost every available space that wasn't already being taken up by ancient looking machinery, most likely for this factory’s original purpose. Photographs of Tracker HQ from various angles were pinned to cork boards on the walls, lying in piles on desks, or just scattered on the ground.

 

Five bedrolls were also spread about on the the floor, crammed into whatever free space was left. It was tough to imagine imagine living in conditions like this for a week, let alone how long JNPR and Ilia had been cooped up here, it felt so claustrophobic so...uneasy.

 

Turning to see where Blake and the others were she saw a pseudo alcove that must have been some kind of storage room. Peering inside she saw the others surrounding a large wooden table with two large maps on it, each covered in rainbow of different markers and highlights, each colour most likely meaning something different.

 

Also in this makeshift briefing room sat a dilapidated couch on which tentative looking Taiyang sat,  directly next to the couch was a decently sized dust powered refrigerator. Above the the couch was a series of metal shelves stocked with canned foods and several half empty bottles of varying alcoholic beverages. Behind the large table was a whiteboard covered in photographs, pieces of paper, and writing in dry erase marker.

 

From where she stood Weiss could only make out a few of larger words and phrases written.

 

“BUCKETHEAD=THE SCYTHE WIELDER???”

 

“WHY STEAL GRIMM?”

 

“ATLAS/SDC IS ENVOLVED”

 

“NO ONE HAS LEFT IN MONTHS”

 

But three in particular really stood out to Weiss.

 

“ **WHAT IS “FOOD”???** ”

 

“ **WHO IS QL009???** ”

 

“ **ED-UM. II????** ”

 

And

 

“ **THEY KNOW WERE WATCHING** ”

 

These little insights into what JNPR had learned about their enemies and what questions they still had, showed her yet again how much they _did not_ know. Jonquil and his merry band of freaks were at a place where they had people literally write down ‘ _what is food?_ ’ and have that be a _legitimate_ question.

 

And it did her nerves no favors to learn that the Trackers _knew_ they being watched.

 

“Ms. Schnee, are you _quite_ all right?” For what felt like the millionth time today Weiss was shaken out of her own head-space by someone else, this time it was a by a slightly impatient looking Oscar, standing in between a more concerned looking Ren and Ilia.

 

Slightly embarrassed now, Weiss stepped toward the table next to Blake and Yang, at the same moment Jaune stepped into the room and leaned himself against the doorframe.

 

“I'm fine, Oscar.” She said, a claim that was certainly not true at the moment but was necessary to continue debriefing.

 

Oscar nodded and continued on curtly, as was apparently his custom now. “Right, I’d just inform Mr. Ren and the others of the situation with the Maidens and Ms. Rose. then we were going to debrief and discuss our future course of action.”

 

“Ms. Amitola, what can you tell us about the goings-on of the Tracker’s Association.” Oscar said evenly as gestured at Ilia with his cane.

 

Stepping forward Ilia cleared her throat before speaking. “ _Well_...for the last year or so, the Tracker’s have been bringing people in by the bucket load, from here, Baagh Shahar, other Kingdoms, _anywhere_. we don't know what they're doing with them but it can't be good, anyone who isn't an Agent, does not leave that building. Period.”

 

Weiss shuddered at the thought of what they could be doing with all those... _bodies_ and then she remembered. ‘ _What is food?_ ’

 

Ilia continued now sounding a bit uneasy. “Through some connection Jaune made we got our hands on some old documents, one from two years ago detailed that an individual dubbed ‘QL009’ was in poor health and in desperate need of quote, ‘fresh food.’ and we believe that signifies that these missing persons may be being used to feed something but we aren't entirely sure.”

 

Shaking herself of her jitters, Ilia carried on her debriefing. “Another document, this one significantly older makes mention of a ‘ED-UM. II’ needing to be tested against ‘live opponents’. So it could also mean they are kidnapping people to be used for weapons testing.”

Ilia gestured at the series of photos pinned on the whiteboard. “As i'm sure you've seen, I haven't been able to get very close to their headquarters, whoever runs their security is well beyond skilled, they have eyes everywhere. As a matter of fact recently, when I was conducting my daily reconnaissance of the building I discovered that someone had placed several heat-triggered explosives at every single one of my vantage points. If it weren't for my reptilian traits I would have been killed.”

 

Oscar cut off Ilia with a blunt. “Do you think they know we’re here in Halcón?”

 

Stepping forward, Ren answered on Ilia’s behalf. “They know we aren't in Baagh Shahar. That doesn't leave much else.”

 

Now glaring sidelong at Ren, Oscar asked another question. “Did you speak with Professor Marfil?”

 

From the doorway Jaune called out, soundly mildly concerned. “Didn't Qrow tell you he was killed a month ago? Something tore him to pieces, we didn't to try to re-engage after that.”

 

For a moment Oscar just stood there in silence, if Weiss could assign him an emotion in that moment, she would have said he looked... _cornered._

 

“What about the others on the l-list I provided?”

 

With a great deal of remorse, Jaune gave a short. “ _Dead_ or Missing.”

 

Cacophonous silence poured into the room as Oscar stood stock still as he seemed to desperately think of _something,_ before simply furrowing his brow and clenching his fists. “Well...it would appear we are all alone in this endeavor. We have no other options, I have no more tricks up my sleeve. We simply have to march to their front door and pray for the best. There are people searching for us here, if we can deal with them beforehand, then we will have some semblance of an advantage.”

 

Oscar took off his sunglasses to rub the bridge of his nose, momentarily showing the glassiness of his hazel eyes. He looked utterly _defeated_. “We shall break up into two groups. Mr. Ren, Ms. Valkyrie, Ms. Belladonna, Ms. Xiao Long, and Ms. Amitola. Since the Association will most likely have something waiting for our arrival, you five will take face it head on and serve as a distraction. Myself, Mr. Xiao Long, Ms. Schnee, and Mr. Arc will fly the _Moineau_ to the top the building and work are way down in search of Ruby and the Maidens. Any objections? Revisions?”

 

The room once again fell quiet as everyone absorbed Oscar’s plan. It was risky but what other options did they have? Looking around Weiss didn't seem to be the only one who thought this as everyone seemed a little apprehensive but still didn't speak. Well except for Blake.

 

“I have an objection.” She said with a determined look on her face. “I think I should go with you, Oscar. I know the inside of the HQ better than anyone, plus I also have this.” reaching into her pocket Blake produced her Tracker badge. “When an Agent retires, they still keep badge and identification and they are still kept on the registration. All the doors and elevators are ID locked and if my hunch is right this badge could still be used to unlock them.”

 

Oscar nodded. “Very well, Mr. Arc will take your place on the first team. Anybody else?”

 

Nobody responded. “Good, we leave first thing tomorrow or as soon we get found by whatever is looking for us, whichever comes first. You're all dismissed, I suggest you rest up while you still can.” Oscar put his glasses in his jacket pocket and wearily took a seat in a nearby plastic chair.

 

Before everyone dispersed, however, Blake spoke up, making eye contact with Ren. “Is there a library nearby? A bookstore? there’s something I think merits researching.”

 

Ren brought his hand to his chin as he thought. There was a two or more libraries in the heart of the city and the one at Shade but both of those places were probably bad places to go at the current moment. But there was something else, and it was relatively close. “There’s a cafe nearby, it doubles as a small library, they _might_ have what you're looking for.”

 

Nodding her head, Blake smiled at Ren. “I guess that will have to suffice, where is it?”

 

“I know where. I can take you and give you the briefing along the way.” Ilia suddenly blurted out, before turning to Oscar. “Is that alright, Sir?”

 

Oscar simply nodded, from his seated position. “Just stay on your toes.”

 

Getting up off the couch with a grunt, Taiyang rolled his shoulders, working out any kinks he may gotten from laying on the lumpy excuse for furniture. “Since we’re breaking away. Tell me, Ren is there a weapons shop nearby?”

 

Launching to her feet with a wild expression, Nora, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet during the whole debriefing, raised her hand like she was student that really need to use the bathroom. “Ooooooh I know where one is! I know!”

 

Tai just nodded. “Okay lead the way, then.”

 

Nora rushed to exit and as Tai went to follow her, he tapped Yang on the shoulder to signal for her to follow as well, she looked like she was going to object, probably wanting to go with Blake but Tai whispered something in her ear and she immediately conceded, giving Blake a quick kiss before heading out into the city.

 

Weiss wondered what he could have whispered to make Yang ditch her partner but before she could think about it further, she felt Blake put her hand on _her_ shoulder. “Hey, you should probably come with us. You _might_ be interested in what I’m looking for.”

 

There was a kind of hidden urgency to her voice, like she pleading with her a bit. So Weiss of course agreed.

 

________________________

 

A few moments after stepping out of the safe house and onto grey streets Ilia almost immediately blurted out. “I'm _so_ sorry about Ruby, Weiss. Dust I can't imagine what you, Tai, and Yang are going through...or _uhm_ , you as well Blake!” Ilia said nervously, awkwardly, with a shy but comforting smile on her face.

 

The comment, in truth did very little to put her ease but her words were thoughtful nonetheless. She an Ilia had gotten off to rough start, for _obvious_ reasons, grudges that ran _that_ deep did not go away easily but through their mutual friendship with Blake and the constant battles that they fought together, they became close friends. So she accepted her words of sympathy without quarrel. “Thank you, Ilia. it is hard but we have to moving forward...I know that’s what she’s doing.”

 

The three fell into a comfortable silence as Ilia led them to this cafe-library hybrid.

 

Weiss could see out of the corner of eye that Ilia kept sneaking glances at her wounded hand. She knew the other woman was trying not to be nosy but she thought the two of them were close enough to know it was no big deal to just ask. “It was a Grimm. A _Karnonos_ to be specific.”

 

Ilia made a shocked expression. “A Karnonos!? That crazy, I didn't think they even existed!”

 

At that point she realized they had forgot to mention to the others about Bosch or Floyd Littlehorn’s true identity. “Oh Dust! We should probably talk about how the Trackers have a talking Grimm with them.”

 

“Wait, _what?_ Like a Hellion?” was Ilia’s _very_ appropriately shocked response. “Blake is she serious!?”

 

Turning to Blake for some kind of clarification, she was met with a simple nod.

 

“That’s not even the worst of it, that mysterious scythe wielder is actually Floyd Littlehorn and that’s not even his real name.” Weiss added with a hint of resentment, as Ned Scratch had been the one who kidnapped Ruby.

 

“Gods, that’s...I don't even know what to say. These Trackers are impossible to keep up with.” She said exasperatedly.

 

Blake and Weiss silently agreed, as they continued to walk through the strangely barren streets, Weiss was about to comment, Ilia exclaimed. “Oh, here it is! That’s the cafe. ” Ilia suddenly said, dislodging the thought out of Weiss’ head.

 

She pointing at tiny, rustic looking building sandwiched in between a mediocre looking pizza place, and a foreclosed VHS repair shop. The quaint wooden structure had a simple sign atop it that read: “ _Café Rebelión_ ”  

 

“Looks _pretty_ nice, let’s hope it has what we’re looking for.” Blake said, making her way to establishments front door and gently opening it.

 

_What are we exactly looking for again?_ Weiss wondered, she didn’t think Blake had even said anything. She looked to Ilia for some possible answers but only received a shrug.

 

With a jingle, Weiss entered into the cozy atmosphere of the _Café Rebelión_ , it was beautiful little shop with an utterly entrancing aesthetic, like half log cabin, half library. Wood carved chairs and tables and off in the far corner was four large book shelves, filled end to end with books of all kinds.

 

“How can I help you ladies?” a tired sounding voice tore Weiss from her trance and she met the pleasant green eyes of the man who must have ran the establishment. He smiled from behind a wooden counter-top and behind him stood a black marble top, on which sat a variety of shiny copper objects that Weiss could parse were used in the making of coffee and tea but as to their specific function, she had no idea.

 

Blake nodded politely at the man. “Yes, we were wondering if you perhaps had a copy of _The Encyclopædia Torvous?_ ”

 

The man scrunched his face up in thought for a moment, adding even more wrinkles to his already wizened face before he turned to look at the four bookshelves. “The book on Grimm, huh? I'm not entirely sure. A _long_ time ago some Shade students donated me some of their old textbooks, so hows about I make you three some coffee and in the meantime you can have a look?”

 

Blake nodded her head. “That sounds perfect... _although_ could you make mine a tea?”

 

The man simply smiled back, before shooing them away and turning to his implements. Weiss looked at the books on each shelf, they didn't seem to be organized in any particular order, so finding anything specific would be difficult but that wasn't the problem right now.

 

“Why didn't you tell, we were looking for _The_ _Torvous?_ ” Weiss thought it might have been a little bit imperative to say such a thing, due to her _intimate_ connection with it’s author. Just the thought made her hand throb.    

 

Blake looked sheepish for a moment, clearly regretting not telling Weiss. “Sorry, I didn't want to mention it around Oscar. He probably wouldn't want us sniffing around his past like this, you know how he is with secrets.”

 

Ilia gasped. “Oscar knew Hamnet Bosch!?” eyes wide with confusion.

 

“Hamnet Bosch was the Hellion I was talking about.” Weiss deadpanned, raising her wound towards Ilia’s face for emphasis.

 

She gasped again, utterly dumbfounded. “A Grimm wrote a _book_ on Grimm!?”

 

Blake crouched down and began searching through the books on the shelf in front of her. “Not just wrote it but purposefully filled it with misinformation at Oscar’s request.”

 

“I can’t keep up with this.” Ilia groaned turning to begin searching her own shelf.

 

_Neither can I_. Weiss felt like saying but she kept it to herself, instead focusing on the series of hard covers in front of her. Since she was already standing she decided to start on the top row and work her down. With an exasperated sigh she began sifting through titles with absolutely no luck whatsoever.

 

Several philosophy texts, including a rather large tomb tilted “ _The Fool’s Errand: Searching For The Meaning Of Life._ ” Many compendiums of fairy tales and other short stories, three math textbooks, books on the history of Vale, Vacuo, Atlas, _and_ Mistral, a _very_ high level biology textbook, two textbooks on law, one Vacuan, the other international and finally a self help book entitled “ _Not_ _Alone: How To Accept The Loss Of A Loved One._ ”

 

That last one made Weiss feel uncomfortable, so she quickly put it back, reorganizing the entire shelf before moving onto the next one, when suddenly she noticed something while glancing at the remaining shelves below her, they were all completely full with no spaces between books, while on the top shelf there was room for _one_ more book, she also noted that there were several _textbooks_ among the typical kinds of books you would find. _When the owner got those textbook, he must have put them all on the top shelf._ On a sheer hunch, Weiss leaned over to see if there was a space between the bookshelf and wall, somewhere a book could get lost and there was...and _sure_ enough there _was_ a book stuck there.

 

Crouching down, Weiss reached her arm behind the shelf and grabbed the as of yet unknown tome. It was a large book, completely caked in dust, so much so that she couldn't even make out the cover but it was nothing a strong gust of air couldn't fix. With one harsh blow dust went flying everywhere, while at the same time revealing the title of the book.

 

And _it_ read: _The_ _Encyclopædia Torvous. By Hamnet Bosch._

 

“I found it.” Weiss exclaimed, now a little excited to see exactly what kind information Blake thought she could garner from reading this book and how it could help them.

Blake and Ilia shot up from their crouched positions, quickly placing back any books they had removed in their search. The three women then found a table and seated himself around the old tome. “Nice searching Weiss.” Blake said with warm smile. “Now, let’s see what we can find.”

 

Opening the book to its table of contents, they all noticed a small message written in black ink with fine penmanship, which simply read. “ _Dearest A.S. I hope this volume can help you elucidate things. Think of me fondly as you traverse the chaotic world of academia!_ ”

 

As Blake ran her fingers across table of contents, most likely in search of the ‘Myths and Falsehoods’ section, Weiss wondered idly what the relationship had been between this ‘A.S.’ and whoever had written them that little message was. Were they family, lovers, or maybe close friends? It was peculiar to catch such a small glimpse into a total stranger’s life.

 

Hopefully A.S. and their compatriot were leading better lives than she was at the moment.  
  


Under her breath, Blake mumbled. “ _Page 117_. Got it.” Before she began rapidly flipping through pages. Weiss could see through small glances that more writing had been added to the book, either notes made by A.S. or more messages left by their friend or whoever they might be. However, Weiss never got a close look at any of writings as Blake was simply flipping through the pages, not that it was really important.

 

“ _Ahem_.” A voice sounded from in front of three women crowded around the book, slightly surprising each of the, it was the cafe’s owner holding a tray with three steaming mugs resting atop it. “I see you found what you were looking for, here are your drinks.”

 

With a smile the man handed each woman a mug and made his leave. “I’ll leave you to your book, holler if you need me.”

 

Before Weiss could even take a sip of the coffee, she noticed the page Blake had stopped on while she added cream and sugar to her tea.

 

“ ** _The Ouroboros_** ” it read in big bold letters. It was the first page of the ‘Myths and Falsehoods’ chapter and held only a small blurb of information and a simple drawing of serpent biting its own tail, forming a circle. The page read as follows:

 

“ _Scholars have long disputed the origins and the legitimacy of the Ouroboros(roughly translated from ancient Mistrali as meaning ‘_ _he who eats the tail’_ _). In some of the earlier texts discovered in ancient Mistrali and Valean ruins make warning of monster existing outside of time, a being not of Grimm or Man but something else entirely. The beast was said to be immortal, it did not age and no warrior no matter how fierce could land a single blow upon it. The serpentine figure depicted above is the most widely accepted depiction of the Ouroboros but many other interpretations have been found as well. Strangely unlike most legends concerning monsters that terrorize the civilized world there is no conclusion, no text ever makes reference to the beast being slain or even disappearing, lending credence to the idea that the beast may yet still live, if it even exists at all. In these next pages lie a transcript of each mention of the Ouroboros in chronological order, assembled by Dr. Robert Plumb and the Archaeology Department of Symbol Academy in Vale._ ”

 

And surely enough, A.S. seemed to have made a note on this page as. In a nearly ineligible chicken scratch that reminded Weiss how Ruby would write when she was too hyped on sugar to properly take down notes.

 

“ _This is the end game! She is the door, all we need to do is make a key and everything else will fall into place!_ ** _MISTRAL_** _._ ”

 

It was beyond strange and yet stranger still Weiss noticed that next page wasn't a transcript like the book said it would, instead it was a page on Inverted King Taijitus _but_ the page number was off, the page on the Ouroboros had been 110 and this one was 116. _Had A.S. ripped the transcripts out of the book?_

 

“Hey Weiss are you alright? You're spacing out.” Blake’s concerned voice pulled Weiss from her investigations of the book, bringing her back into the real world and away from A.S.’s.

 

She smiled sheepishly at her friend. “Y-yes, it’s just...whoever used to own this book seems to have been _very_ interested in this creature here. The Ouroboros.” Before taking a sip of her coffee.

 

Blake took a glance at the page. “I remember this one, the don't even know if it was a Gr-”  

 

Before Blake could even finish her sentence or Weiss could even appreciate how good her coffee was. The front door of _Café Rebelión_ swung open and in walked probably one of the last person any of them wanted to see, Argus Keppel with a big smile on his face and half a dozen Knights following behind him..

 

“ _Bingo._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, im actually alive! and I came back only to end on a cliffhanger.
> 
> awesome right? maybe not I don't know, perhaps you don't even care enough to consider that ending a cliffhanger. 
> 
> but worry not those who somehow find enjoyment in this "Story" I'm not gonna abandon it! it may take awhile between chapters but I will finish this shit show if it kills me!
> 
> the next chapter IS coming...eventually.


	23. Nobody Important

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> new chapter, not much else to say. 
> 
> hope ya'll enjoy. 
> 
> P.S. I don't own RWBY

**Chapter 19: Nobody Important**

  
  


It was calm Friday night at Shade Academy, the students were milling about, some trained in the gym, others studied in the library, most were headed into Halcón for some much needed partying.

 

Argus Keppel however, simply laid in his bed and stared up at the ceiling, he had just returned from his nightly jog around campus and normally he would people watch while he rested an ice pack on his knee, but it was too dark and nobody was hanging around at this hour. So instead he just stared up at the ceiling. Brace taken off for the night and ice pack resting on his swollen and aching knee.  

 

Not thinking of anything in particular, not even trying to fall asleep, just staring idly at the off white painted ceiling, he noticed in the far right corner of the room some of the wall paint had been sloppily applied, leaving a splotch of dark brown halfway on the ceiling. Perhaps one the painter had lost focus while doing their monotonous work or maybe they didn't care too much on whether or not room 1-F in Dormitory 4 of Shade Huntsman Academy had an immaculate paint job.

 

These were the kind of things Argus thought of when he was alone. Aqua and Zephyr had went into town with another team, probably to get wasted and Jonquil was studying at the library, like he did almost every night.

 

The ice pack on Argus’ knee was beginning to warm up but he didn't really want to get up and grab a replacement, his Aura did a good enough job of soothing the aches on its own. He remembers how he nearly popped a blood vessel trying to heal the wound when he had first gotten it but at the time his Aura had been completely shot, so it had to recover on its own. By the time his Aura could do anything at all it was too late, his knee had healed but was still irreparably damaged even after several surgeries, all his Aura could do now was ease the pain a bit.

 

At the time, Argus remembered there were talks of amputation, he was glad it didn't come to that, as impressive as those prosthetics could be sometimes, it felt like giving up to him, admitting defeat and that wasn't something he did, _ever_. He was going to overcome this, he had the support of his team, he had the support of those who weren't there anymore.

 

He knew they were still cheering him on.

 

The room's door opened suddenly and none other Jonquil entered, stacks of books in his arms. “I need a new place to study!” he began. “There are too many _damn_ people at this school and none of them have an appreciation for a productive work environment!”

 

“Hello to you too, Jonquil.” This was also how every night of studying would end, Jonquil annoyed at his fellow students.

 

The books he was carrying were carefully placed on the rooms singular desk with huff of annoyance. “Yes, _sorry_. Good evening Argus, where are the others?”

 

Argus sat up a bit on his bed, jostling the lukewarm ice pack off his knee, he pointed in the vague direction of Halcón. “They went into town with Blue Maccool and his team, probably partying.”

 

Jonquil made a face of mild disgust and rolled his eyes. “ _Blue Maccool?_ ”

 

Argus couldn't help the chuckle that escaped past his lips. “What’s the matter? _Jealous?_ ”

 

“As if. Aqua’s the one who’s jealous, jealous I don't give her enough attention, she _obviously_ trying to get a rise out of me. ”  

 

“And what about Zephyr?”

 

Jonquil waved his hand dismissively in the air as he came to sit on the edge of Argus’ bed. “ _Her?_ I don't know, those twin sisters on Team BBBL(Team Baby Blue) seem right up her alley.”

 

Argus gave his partner a condescending smirk. “I don’t know man, maybe she’s trying to make you jealous too.”

 

“Get real, Argus, Zephyr’s about as attracted to me as she the idea of quitting cigars.”

 

“ _Nah_ , the way you get all wild eyed whenever we do good in Team combat class, it’s a miracle the whole school doesn't want a piece of you. In fact I can scarcely control _myself_ if I’m being honest.” Argus fanned at his face with hand as he continued to give his partner his best shit-eating grin.

 

Jonquil stuck out his middle finger and presented it to his partner. “You're a jackass, _Argus_.”

 

The two stared at each other for a passing few moment before breaking out into a fit of real, honest to Dust _laughter_ . The past few months every somewhat decent thing that happened to Argus felt like thin layers of cloth being place over a gaping wound, for an instant there was some semblance of relief, only for it to become stained...but as he laughed with Jonquil about the trivialities of school romance, everything felt, _alright_.

 

Like nothing had really changed.

 

As their laughter died down, the proverbially stain began to re-emerge. It was obvious to just about everyone at Shade _except_ for that block-head Blue Maccool that Aqua Pastél was hopelessly _infatuated_ with Jonquil. Several times a day Argus would catch her ogling at him with a dreamy look in her eye, he had even overheard her talking about how pretty she thought his eyes were with those twins Zephyr was probably knuckle deep in right about now, she even doodled their initials inside of hearts all over her notebooks.

 

“So when are you gonna finally take notice of her? Because if it’s not soon she’s just gonna jump you in the halls or something.” Argus said, keeping his tone easy and relaxed.

 

Jonquil gave a thin smile and pondered for a moment. “It’ll be soon, the semester’s almost over. Maybe I’ll ask her to dance at a Solstice party.”

 

The fact that it had taken this long for Jonquil to even acknowledge their teammate’s crush on him, was worrying enough. Argus knew his partner better than anyone, he knew how he liked to toy with people and so he wasn't sure if this was just him playing hard to get for laugh or...was this some form of twisted coping mechanism.

 

 _She_ was gone and Jonquil had _begged_ him to never speak or even think her name, it hadn’t even been a year yet and the wound was still raw for _him_ , so he couldn't imagine how it was for Jonquil. Aqua was a friend and as much as Argus cared about his partner, he didn't want him to hurt anyone.

 

Jonquil waved his arms and Argus was pulled from his inner thoughts. “ _Hey_ , I know what you're thinking and I would hope you’d have more faith in me. The _last_ thing she would've wanted was for me to get all hung up on her memory and never move on. Aqua and I are kindred spirits, Argus...I'm just having a little fun at her expense, I've _no_ ill intentions.”

 

He nodded his head in response, for now he would trust in his partner. From the best Argus could tell, he wasn't lying. So he would _trust_ , trust that Jonquil didn't have any schemes up his sleeve.

 

The two fell back into another comfortable silence, before Jonquil blurted out. “ _So_ , I spoke with Professor Littlehorn today.”

 

Argus sat up a little more, leaning against the bed’s headboard. “... _and?_ ”

 

“We spoke of a plan, to get Maidens away from Ozpin. Apparently he can sense their special Auras, so he proposed we recruit some young girls to our cause, raise them appropriately, find the Maidens and kill them so the powers transfer into _our_ control. Then with the power of the Maidens we find the Relics and at that point neither Ozpin nor Salem can stop us from actually _doing_ something to help people.”

 

 _Argus’_ eyes darted around the room suspiciously, checking to see if there was any conceivable way somebody could be listening in on the absolute madness spilling from his team leader’s mouth, they may have just been sitting in their dorm but being cautious couldn't hurt, especially now.

 

“Are you _sure_ about this, Jonquil? Do even realize what you're saying?” Ever since he and Jonquil had arrived at Shade Academy, Argus had noticed his partner was becoming more unhinged in ramblings of _‘plans’_ as the days went by. Aqua and Zephyr were beginning to take notice and Jonquil wanted to tell them about what had happened, which _he_ thought was _terrible_ idea.

 

Jonquil placed his hands on Argus’ shoulders and stared at him with those liquid gold eyes of his. “I know the plans a little rough but it’s not set in stone. Don't you care about changing the world? Making it a better place? C’mon _Hast-..._ Argus, c’mon _Argus_ don't you care at all?”

 

“You know I care, Jonquil. I just think that this... _revenge_ plan of yours is a little, I don't know, _completely insane!_ ”   

 

Abruptly, Jonquil stood up from the bed and began snapping his fingers repeatedly, as he began pacing around the room. “You're right. It’s completely insane but it’s _all_ we have! And-and revenge? That’s such a _small_ part of all of this. We’re in a unique position here, Argus. We can _use_ Professor Littlehorn, he hates Ozpin even more than we do. He’s our _weapon!_ ”

 

From where he was sitting, an outsider would think his friend was a madman and maybe they would be right in that assumption but Argus knew it was because he was in mourning _and_ recovery to boot and so was he. The doctors said he would probably need to wear this brace for the rest of his life.

 

He wanted to believe in his friends plan but would could two students and a wheelchair bound old man do to steal the Maidens and Relics out from under Ozpin’s nose? “I just don't see how the Professor can help us, Jonquil. The man’s at least in his eighties. We would need more manpower and high quality manpower at that.”

 

Jonquil pointed a shaky finger at Argus. “ _There’s someone else_ . We’re going to meet him tomorrow, his name is _Bosch_ and apparently he can help with our numbers.”

 

 _Like the author?_ Argus thought to himself before giving his partner a skeptical look. “How do we know we can trust this Bosch? Why would _he_ want to help _us?_ ”

 

“ _Why else!?_ He hates Ozpin of course!” Jonquil exclaimed. “You have little faith, Argus. I _know_ we can’t strike right now, we have to bide our time, we need to foster connections and partnerships, train our bodies and minds...then we will strike, when there’s _no_ chance of failure.”

 

Jonquil seemed very sure of himself but Argus couldn't help but still be critical. “This is dangerous path, my friend...we already got _our_ second chance, our luck _will_ run out if we keep pushing it like this..”

 

Soft chuckling filled the room and Jonquil knelt down to hold his partner’s shoulder. “Even so, we have to try, right? Luck or no luck, I won't go forward without you, Argus, you're my _brother_ but I’m telling you, it is _now_ or _never_. What do you say?”

 

Argus thought back for a moment, at all that he and Jonquil had been through together, the good and the bad, the struggles and the triumphs. The only reason he was here today was because of his partner, his leader, his _brother_. They were family, maybe not by blood but family nonetheless and Argus decided he would follow his brother now and until he couldn't anymore.

 

Whatever the future may hold, Argus would stand by Jonquil… and together.

 

They would change the world. But more importantly they would get their _revenge._

 

“ _I’m with you._ ”

 

* * *

 

 

“ _Bingo._ ” Argus said under his breath as his Knights poured into _Café Rebelión_ behind him.

 

The three women huddled around a singular book were all frozen in abject shock as Argus made his way over to them, Knights in tow.

 

“Don't make any sudden moves, Weiss Schnee, Ilia Amitola, I presume, and _Blake Belladonna_. By the authority of the Tracker’s Association and the great Kingdom I am placing you under arrest. Just keep your hands off your weapons and perhaps we can have us a little chat.”

 

Blake turned to both her compatriots as Argus and his Knights fully surrounded them, this reminded her of Cerise’s ambush back in Eishaus, though Argus had a far smaller amount of knights with him, only six compared to an entire barful.

 

Nobody said anything or made any sudden movements as Argus came to their table and inspected the book the group had been poring over and for a moment he seemed a little surprised but then he simply smirked.

 

“Trying to better learn your foes? Maybe find some kind of hidden _insight?_  Smart but misguided.” He said nonchalantly as he tossed the book off to side, out of view. Argus pulled up a chair and sat down, he eyed Weiss’ coffee and quickly snatched it, taking a large swig.

 

He smiled again. “Damn, that’s a good cup of joe. I've been dying for one all day.” he turned his head to call back to the cafe’s owner who was standing behind the counter frozen in fear. “Sir, you run a fine establishment here, I'm very so to have to cause such a ruckus.”

 

While Argus’ head was turned away from the group, Blake made a split second decision. As fast as she could, she placed her hands on the table and tried to flip it but instant the legs of the table left the ground, Argus’ hand shot behind him pinned the table back into place.

 

He turned around, thoroughly unamused. “ _Ok._ Let’s try something different. You just tell me where Ozpin is. I don't want to have to kill any of you.”

 

Nervousness pricked at Blake’s stomach, Argus had them in a pretty good hold right now, they would need to disable those Knights in order to gain the advantage at this moment, she looked over at Weiss who simply nodded and then to Ilia who just looked more worried than anything.

 

If Blake and Weiss made a big enough distraction maybe Ilia could disable the majority of Knight with her weapon.

 

She turned back to Argus who looked even less entertained than before. “ _Don't try it._ ” was all he said, shaking his head slowly.

 

In her time as an agent, Blake had heard plenty of rumors about Argus Keppel and now she would see if they were true. She reached for Gambol Shroud and immediately trained it on Argus’ head, firing three shots...each missed.

 

In that split second, Argus had reacted to her movements and dodged the bullets, then lunged at Blake, grabbing a hold of his wrist. It was then Blake noticed her first three shots had hit one of the Knights square in the head. One down.

 

She tried to maneuver her arm as best she could to shoot another but before she could Argus pulled her square over the table and slammed her straight _through_ another one.

 

All of that had happened in the span of maybe 10 seconds. For an instant everything was quiet before the cacophonous screams of assault rifle fire filled the air.

 

Blake instinctively curled into a ball at the noise trying to make herself as small a target as she could. The sound of gunfire and spent cartridge cascading onto the floor continued but Blake noticed she wasn't being filled with holes yet. She looked up from her fetal position and saw that the Knight’s shots were blocked by a series of glyphs acting as a barrier.

 

Blake scrambled to her feet and scanned what was in front of her, Weiss was propped up against the wall clutching at her injured hand and grimacing in pain as Ilia clashed with Argus, who was effortlessly blocking every single one of her strikes with his _cane_.

 

He seemed fairly concentrated, he may of been blocking each attack but Ilia wasn't giving him any room for a counterattack. Blake decided she would take the opportunity before her, the instant she had a clean shot, she unload her clip at Argus.

 

Almost immediately Argus parried one of Ilia’s strikes and pivoted to face the direction of the oncoming bullets, with the kind of practiced skill only a seasoned warrior could, he twirled his cane and _deflected_ each shot.

 

In a single moment Argus seemed to be wide open, so Ilia lunged at him bringing her blade down with all her strength. Without even looking Argus caught Ilia’s strike with his empty hand.

 

At that point everyone simply stood in silence, the ever-present sound of gunfire now replaced with the light clicking of five empty rifles going off at once. Blake looked at Argus, he was sweating and breathing deeply, although his face remained completely blank, as if he wasn't phased by any of this.

 

“Where is _Ozp-!_ ” Argus was about to say before being cut off, as electricity coursed through his entire body. He was good at reacting to and defending the attacks of others but he must not have known Ilia’s weapon had a Shock Dust core.

 

As the older man convulsed where he stood, Blake got up from her crouched position and charged. Before she got close enough to land a strike, Argus raised his cane and pointed it directly between her eyes, she heard the faintest of clicking noises before a blade violently erupted from the end of the cane, just barely missing its intended target, instead striking a clone that quickly dissipated.

 

Still keep her stride, Blake kicked Argus in the stomach as hard as she could and the aged Tracker slammed against the nearby wall, crashing through the drywall, sending his spear-cane hybrid clattering to the ground.

 

Blake and Ilia watched Argus intently, he stirred a little bit, before falling completely silent, buried halfway through the wall. They lowered their weapons and set their sights on Weiss still leaning against the wall, looking like she was on the verge of passing out.

 

“Are you ok, Weiss? Your hand is bleeding again.” Blake asked more than a little concerned by her friend’s injury.

 

Weiss waved her good hand dismissively. “I-I’m fine, he just...got me by _surprise_.”

 

Ilia knelt down and gingerly grabbed Weiss’ wrist and inspected her injury. “You should have gotten Jaune to help you heal this. It seems pretty serious if it’s bleeding through this much gauze.”

 

The other woman simply pulled her hand away. “I'm _f-fine_.” Weiss grabbed Myrtenaster and ran its cylinder across her thigh, then with a grunt of exertion and flick of her wrist the black glyphs shielding them from the Knights turned yellow before shooting several bolts of lighting, causing the automatons to short circuit.

 

Weiss smiled weakly. “See I'm perfectly _fine._ We need to get to the others.”

 

Without another word, Weiss began shambling out of _Café Rebelión_.

 

Blake was starting to feel even more worried.  

 

* * *

 

Yang was begin to worry about her father even more than before. The entire ten minute walk to the weapon store, she and Nora had been engaging in animated conversation about everything from their upcoming mission to their recent workout routines and it had felt nice to not to focus on the _terrible_ parts of her life for a moment. But they still couldn't help but rear their ugly heads, this whole time her dad hadn't said a single thing.

 

She hadn't seen her father like this since...well ever since Summer died. And just like then, he was retreating in on himself, stewing in his own regret, sadness, anger, or perhaps all three. She understood, she really did, hell she still wanted to cry but she knew she needed to stay strong for _Ruby._

 

 _Hadn't he even said as much? Is this his way of staying strong?_ It made Yang wish for this to just be over already and she imagined tomorrow, one way or another it _would_ be over.

 

Now _she_ was brooding.

 

“Ooooooooh, guys! There it is! _There it is!_ ” Nora suddenly called out waving her arms and gesturing wildly at a small fairly plain looking shop across the street. The dim neon sign above the joint simply read, _Mallet Space._

 

Nora sprinted across the street, Yang and Tai followed although at a much calmer pace. When they reached the door Taiyang spoke for the first time since they left the safe house. “You go on ahead, Nora. I need to talk to Yang about something.”

 

“Okey-dokey, Mr. Xiao Long! No problemo!” she shouted, giving a mock salute before charging into the shop.

 

Tai leaned against the shut door blocking Yang from entering. He looked at her intently, seeming to struggle with he words for a moment, he wasn't angry but he was upset.

 

Yang smiled gently at her father. “What’s up, pops?” She said in an attempt to ease away some the tension.

 

He shook his and sighed. “You're gonna think I've gone crazy.” He smiled sadly, dismissively.

 

“ _Try me_ . We've seen some _pretty_ crazy stuff already.” Yang stated simply.

 

“Did I ever tell you how Summer died?”

 

That came as great surprise, catching Yang off guard for a moment. “You told me she just...didn't come back from hunt, was that not true?”

 

Tai shook his head for a moment but then he just sighed dejectedly, he was struggling. “At the time we just _assumed_ it was a Grimm, since her body was never recovered. But Qrow said he never got a good look at what exactly got her.”

 

“What are you trying to say dad?”

 

“Back in Atlas, when we fought Scratch, he acted like he knew me and Qrow...At the time I had no idea what he was talking about but when he and Qrow fought, he must realized something because...he said ‘ _It was you._ ’ Qrow _did_ know him.”

 

A sick feeling spread all throughout Yang’s body at her father’s implications. “You think, Edwin Scratch _killed_ mom?”

 

Tai solemnly nodded his head.

 

Yang found herself at a sudden loss for words, the same man who kidnapped Ruby could also be the same man who killed her mother?

 

“Dad, I-I’m not sure what-”

 

Tai’s hand shot up to stop Yang from continuing. “You don't have to do or think _anything_ . I just want you to understand when I end up doing something _stupid_ . Because the next time I see that _metal bastard_...I'm gonna kill him, I can't see myself doing anything else.”

 

Strong arms wrapped around Yang, pulling her into a tight embrace. “I'm gonna try to come out of this ok but I’m not sure I can promise it.”

 

“ _D-dad?_ ” Yang said wetly, distraught over the words coming from her father.

 

For a moment Tai pulled back and smiled, a sad, broken kind of smile and patted Yang on the head, like he used to when she was younger. “Don't worry about me, _Ruby_ should be your top priority. _I_ don't matter anymore.”

 

Without another word, Tai turned away from his daughter and entered the weapon shop, leaving her to just stand there and stew on what she had just heard. _Edwin Scratch had killed Summer?_

 

Just the thought of it made Yang’s head spin and make more tears threaten to spill from her eyes. Even though she wasn't her birth mother, that didn't matter, Summer had _loved_ her and cared for her as if she was her own daughter...and _Edwin Scratch_ had been the one that took her away?

 

She felt heartbroken and furious at the same time. What would she do if she saw him right now? How would she react? Would she react with anger or sadness? Would she ask him why?

 

Or would she try to kill him, as well?

Far off in the distance the sound of machine guns firing could be heard, quickly followed by sounds of confused and fearful screaming coming from seemingly every direction, far away and nearby.

 

Then she heard it, the panicked scream of a woman. “GRIMM, GRIMM ARE IN THE CITY!” and from around a corner an Ursa Major appeared and charged at Yang with all its might.

 

For a moment Yang was just shocked, staring as it got closer and closer. Almost an instant before the beast was upon her, she swiftly uppercutted it with her prosthetic arm, striking with enough force to shatter the bone plating over its face, before blasting its head near clean off with her new shotgun attachment.

 

The Grimm disintegrated and Yang stood motionless once again, still shocked as to what exactly was going on. It was only when her father and Nora appeared by her side, asking about what had happened, that she snapped out of her stupor..

 

“ _Grimm_...Grimm are here.” she said simply, looking around for any more that could be lurking about.

 

Nora retrieved her Magnhild and took on a similar stance while her father adjusted some heavy duty looking knuckle-duster gloves.

 

“Does this happen often?” he asked.

 

Nora shook her head fervently. “Nope, this definitely a first!”

 

At that point, alert sirens began blaring loudly, indicating that this was city wide emergency.

 

“ _That’s_ also a first.”

 

Yang made a gesture for the others to follow her. “We need to help get the people to safety!” she called over the roar of the sirens.

 

But before they could even turn a corner, a gigantic pink rectangle of energy appeared in front of them, blocking their path, Yang turned around and saw that similar barriers had appeared at all possibly exits, leaving them _trapped_ out on the street.

 

Nora and Tai hopelessly threw themselves at the barriers but to no avail. Yang knew these were Cerise’s portals so she began scanning all around, searching for the slippery pink-haired bastard.

 

“ _Yoo-hoo!_ ” A voice called from above, turning her head up Yang saw Cerise and Noire perched up on a rooftop looking down on them.

 

Cerise stood on the edge, arms folded impassively, while Noire sat reclined, legs dangling off the edge, kicking back and forth. “This is looking like a pretty _Grimm_ situation, ain’t it gang!?” he called, running a hand through his hair mockingly.

 

A series of portals appeared underneath Noire, forming a makeshift staircase which he leisurely climbed down, when he reached ground level another portal appeared right next to him, which Cerise simply stepped through, now holding his gun-tonfa.

 

“Let’s keep this civilized, tell us where Ozpin is, surrender, and then we’ll call off the Grimm.” He said calmly, very unlike how he acted in Eishaus.

 

Tai, now given up on trying to break Cerise’s portal, turned towards the two trackers and immediately pushed pass Yang. he pointed a gloved finger at Cerise. “You and I both know how this gonna go, let's not waste any more time.”

 

Before either Tracker could respond, Tai charged Cerise and socked him right in the face, the dull thud of metal on flesh and bone sounded through the air before several more pink squares appeared all around them, further enclosing everyone and separating them at the same time.

 

The sound of Grimm and Assault rifle fire filled the air, acutely as Cerise flooded the enclosed spaces with Atlesian Knights and Grimm.

 

Nora was alone, trapped in the largest space, shoved into a proverbially blender of Knights and Grimm, luckily enough for her, however, the Knights couldn't discern that the Grimm were on the same side as them, so they prioritized killing them over her. Which made things much easier.

 

Tai was stuck in the smallest space, facing a constant onslaught of Knights. He had landed he one good hit on Cerise but as soon as the tracker recovered, he slipped away into one of his portals and adopted a hit and run strategy, appearing only when Tai was most vulnerable and then disappearing into on of his portals.

 

However, Yang was in far different situation, she stood in a medium sized section but there were no Grimm and no Knights, just Noire.

 

“Where’s _your_ reinforcements?”

 

He smiled and shrugged. “Cerise must be a little preoccupied to care about little ol’ me, doesn't make a difference though. Tell me where Ozpin is...I've got places to be, in fact I've got a date with a certain cat Faunus.”

 

A wave of anger rolled over Yang and without thinking she took step closer. “ _Excuse me?_ ” her voice held an undeniable threatening edge to it. Making threats at Blake was one of the fastest ways to get her in a bad mood and that seemed like all Noire was interested in. He hurt her dad, broke her prosthetic, nearly put her in a coma, and was now threatening Blake?

 

She was growing tired of his smug face.   

 

Noire matched her step with one of his own. “You heard me.” a chuckled slipped past his smirking lips as he ran another hand through his hair. “You must be really crazy about her...because I _can't_ stop thinking about her...and that damn sister of yours. Y’know if I had an iota less of self control I would busted her out of containment, myself.”

 

Anger transformed into confusion, a great deal of confusion. Why would Noire want to free Ruby? “What the _hell_ are you talking about!?”

 

Noire shook his head. “I _replicated_ you. Now we're one in the same, your Semblance, your memories, your habits. _Damn_ , when I woke up this morning I was real confused when I looked in the mirror.”

 

“You're insane.” Yang said in utter disbelief of the nonsense spilling from Noire’s mouth.

 

“Maybe so...but that not what’s important, what’s important is whether or not you'll tell me where Ozpin is or if I’m going to have to _beat_ it out of you.” Noire’s turquoise eyes turned a familiar red as he slammed his two fists together.

 

He lunged at her, not even giving her a chance to reply, throwing a hard left hook that Yang narrowly juked away from. He immediately throws a follow up jab with his right which she dodges again, as a blade unexpectedly shoots out from Noire’s right sleeves narrowly missing her abdomen.

 

The Tracker flicks his wrist and the blade retracts just swiftly as it came out. “Y’know. I’ve never had to fight someone I've replicated twice. Looking at you is _really_ throwing me off.”

 

Yang doesn't dignify a response as she sends a flurry of blows towards Noire, all of which he intentionally  tanks and before she even realizes what he’s doing his Aura bursts into flames and he responds with his own flurry of blows.

 

The two go strike for strike, each punch becoming more powerful than the last and each fighter getting more and more angry by the second. Noire’s wrist blade scrapes against Yang’s cybernetic arm as one tries to throw the other onto the ground to no avail.

 

Across the barrier Taiyang swiftly kicks the heads of three Knights off before putting his fist straight through the chest of another. He’s focused, now that he knows what he has to do his mind isn't clouded anymore. The Knights give a pitiful resistance against him, the only problem he seems to be having is Cerise.

 

He strikes fast and erratically with long spaces in between each one of his attacks. He hits Tai anywhere he can manage, be it his head or legs and jumps through one of his portals before Tai can get his bearings.

 

There's only one tactic he hasn't tried yet and so he waits for Cerise’s next attack. Five more Knight clatter to the ground, destroyed and suddenly Taiyang is struck on the back of head, the instant he feels the impact against his Aura, he activates his semblance, engulfing the surrounding area in flame and debris. As fast as his body allows him, Tai turns around only to see a shocked looking Cerise rising from the ground.

 

Before he can jump into one of his portals, Tai grabs a fistful of his long pink hair and wrenches it as hard as he can. The Tracker goes flying to the ground and is swiftly kicked in the face, with a cry Cerise tries to swing one of his tonfa at Tai’s shin but the weapon is knocked out his hand and the other is pulled from his grasp by by strong hands and thrown clean over the portal barrier.

 

No more Knights are coming out of the portals, and the sounds of Grimm aren't as loud as they used to be, his remaining reserves had been completely exhausted, all that was left were the few Knights with Argus and the 50 or so Grimm terrorizing the city...everything else was at HQ.    

 

Taiyang grabs Cerise by the collar of his trench coat and lifts him to his feet, only to strike him the stomach as hard as he can. His mouth fills up with blood and with all his remaining strength he angles his face and spits it all into Tai’s face.

 

The Huntsman cries out and drops Cerise, who uses that split second to lunge for his remaining tonfa, pointing it at Taiyang and firing it as many times as he can. The first few shots hit, depleting some of his remaining Aura but the rest are subsequently dodged.

 

Cerise is on his feet faster than he realizes and he dashes for the closest portal on for it to crack and then completely shatter as an Ursa is thrown clean through it. He doesn't even have time to contemplate how low his Aura and concentration must have been for somebody to be able be to destroy one of his portals before he is struck by the soaring beast.

 

For an instant Cerise feels as though he going to be crushed to death before the Grimm begins to dissolve. His whole body hurts like he’s never felt before and he quickly realizes he’s losing the fight.

 

_This wasn't how it was suppose to go._

 

Taiyang and Nora loom over his prone from, Tai is holding his tonfa which, with seemingly little effort he bends until it looks more like a pretzel than a weapon. “Deactivate the barriers.” he demands calmly, so calm it’s uneasy.

 

Cerise thinks for a moment, recalling his mission objective. If they manage to escape that puts the entire plan at risk, if they get away...it’s over.

 

“ _No._ ”

 

A swift boot comes down on Cerise and deep crunch is heard as his nose is nearly ripped clean off his face, if he didn't immediately pass out, he probably would have screamed in pain.

 

Blood poured from Cerise’s face like an overflowing sink and as his eyes fluttered shut, the barriers slowly dissipated. Noire, who was now on top of Yang striking at her relentlessly, is surprised for a moment and in that moment Yang fires a blast from Ember Celica and hits him directly in the face,  sending him flying clean off her.

 

For a moment Noire’s body is still but flames begin to erupt from his crumpled form and he stands up. There were pieces of buckshot buried in his face but it didn't seem to bother him the slightest. With little effort he picked out each piece from his face and the wounds closed swiftly afterwards, not even leaving any scarring.

 

Neither of the three had ever seen a Aura so strong before, not even Yang’s own semblance wast capable of such strong healing capabilities.

 

Noire stared at the three flabbergasted Hunters as he tried to wipe the blood off his face. He looked confused for moment. “ _Dad?_ What are you doing? Where’s _Ruby?_ ”

 

He took a step forward but just like in Patch, it buckled and he fell onto his knee. He grabbed at his head as if he was in pain. “You're trying to trick me!” He suddenly shouted. “I'm...I’m n-not...I’m not _Y-y-yang-g_...”

 

The Tracker’s began to convulse as more and more flames seemed to shoot out of his body as he screamed in agony. “ _BLAKE!_ ”

 

He charges at Yang, still surging with her semblance but before he could reach her, Nora smashes in the the stomach with Magnhild, hard enough to stop his charge and put him back on his knees. The flames stop and his eyes slowly morphed from red to turquoise.

 

Noire looked up at her with a hazy stare. “Do I...know _you?_ ” He raised his hand and touched her cheek before she batted it away. Noire fell onto his back, still in his delirious state. “ _Wanna arm wrestle?_ ” he asks before passing out.

 

“What the _heck_ was _that_ about!?” Nora asks rather exasperatedly.

 

Yang searched for a proper answer from within her mind but the pieces could not just fit together for whatever reason. “He said...he _was_ me. His Semblance lets him copy another person’s Semblance but it also copies their memories and personality.”

 

Tai made a noise of understanding as he knelt down and investigated Noire’s unconscious form. “Still I don’t think I ever seen such an unstable Semblance before...” he held one of his hands in his own for a moment. “And his Aura, I've never felt anything like it before, it's _unnatural_.”

 

 _Unnatural?_ Was that why it was so good at healing his wounds? Had the Association done something to him?

 

Nora rubbed her hand on her cheek in mild discomfort before she holstered Magnhild. “We should probably meet up with the others.” 

 

* * *

 

 

Ruby wanted to throw up but she was worried what would would happen if she tried while she was wearing this mask, knowing how much Jonquil like to make her suffer, she would probably drown, it was hard enough to breath with the apparatus covering her mouth and nose and whatever on Remnant was shoved down her throat.

 

She felt so weak bound to this rack, no matter how much she struggled there was no give, she doubted that even with a full aura that she would be to break herself free. Agent Comorbid had returned, so she couldn't use her aura or her eyes, all she could was just remain conscious and lament.

 

She could still see the flashes of her drug induced hallucinations. The images of her mother’s deformed face and the mangled corpses of all her friends and loved ones...all the people she had failed and was failing right now.

 

Jonquil had been right, she was no hero, she was a weak, pitiful, cowardly, _failure_.

What was she going to do about it? She had no idea, maybe Jonquil was trying to _help_ her...maybe he there was someway he could make her less of a failure.

 

***BZZZZZT***

 

The holding cells buzzer blared in her ears, almost painfully. The door swung open and a man bound to a wheelchair rolled himself into her cell. He was ancient, his pallid, sunken face was covered in wrinkles and scars old and fresh, nowhere near as many that had been on _Agent Comorbid’s_ face but still a noticeable amount all the same. He looked like someone who had seen a great deal of battle.

 

Wrapped around his head was thick bandaging, that covered his right eye. His singular yellow eye stared at Ruby and regarded her bemusedly. A mechanical hand reached up to stroke at his stubbled chin, Ruby vaguely recalled his face was that of Floyd Littlehorn.  The supposed Chairman of The Tracker Association

 

“Look at what he’s done to you, _Silver-Eyed One_. Already making you into my replacement.” When he spoke, Ruby felt his voice sounded familiar.

 

“That’s what he does...he gets his hooks in people. I can see it now, he’s in your head. Bet he’s got you thinking all _topsy turvy_. ”

 

Ruby tried to ask what he wanted but she just made a series of muffled gagging noises because of the pipe lodged down her throat. It made tears prick at the corners of her eyes.

 

“Do you _recognize_ me?”

 

She nodded her head and Floyd cackled like a madman, sounding _very_ amused.

 

“No you don't, Ruby. I'm _not_ Floyd Littlehorn...you see, _I_ am the man who killed your uncle.”

 

At that, Ruby’s mind went blank with a sudden flash of anger, like an ember transforming into a raging inferno. With all her might, she fought uselessly against her bindings, in an attempt to get at this _monster_ before her but as was the case before, she couldn't move an inch. She needed to do something, _anything!_ he was right there!

 

She screamed against her mask but only more muffled noises tumbled forth.

 

“ _Oh_ , conserve your energy, child there's more I need to say.”

 

For a moment Ruby stopped her struggle, utterly out of breath and sweating bullets. This mask was making it very difficult to breath, she was getting dizzy, light headed, her chest ached like she was sick.

 

“Look at me, child and think of what you see? You see an old man, covered in scars. You see someone who has killed a member of your family. You see a monster. I can see your hate and sorrow _vividly._ ”

 

Floyd was right, Ruby all could see was the man who killed her uncle, in that singular moment he was nothing else to her. Within her mind, voices cried out for revenge...she wanted to _kill_ him, this monster that proved how much of failure she was, how useless she was at defending those she cared about.

 

“All my life, I've _killed_ ...killed for others but never myself. I killed for Ozpin, I killed for Jonquil. But your uncle, he was the exception, the second exception, actually. I killed _him_ because I wanted to.” Floyd’s single sickly yellow eye bored into Ruby’s tear filled silver.

 

“I killed him because I knew it would make your father, your sister, Ozpin, and most of all _you..._ angry. I knew it would make you want to kill _me_.”

 

The old man smiled showing his rows of fake, off-white teeth. “The first exception I made was to kill _Summer Rose_.”

 

Ruby’s heart dropped into her stomach. This man, this withered shell of person, he had been the one? He had killed her mother... _he had...killed her?_

 

She screamed at the top of her lungs but the sound was muffled once again, it was pointless no matter what she tried she couldn't summon the strength to break her bindings, she could feel the backs of her eyes burning but with Comorbid’s eyes on her it was utterly pointless.

 

“I killed her because she had Silver-Eyes and I thought she may have had the power to put me down. But now I realize it must have been fate...to think all the suffering you and your family has endured was because of _me._ ”

 

This man was beyond her scope belief, how could someone so cruel and heartless exist in this world? What was broken inside him? What made him like this?

 

“What’s the matter? _Disappointed?_ ” He snarled at her, still smiling widely

 

She cried and gagged against her mask and from out of nowhere she heard something slam against the wall of her cell. It was Comorbid, he had thrown his chair so hard it _broke_.

 

“ **_WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP ALREADY!!!_ ** ”  He screamed at the top of his lungs, sounding well beyond furious.

 

Confusion overtook Ruby as she watched the agent storm around the room, he had shed his coat and was scratching at his neck and arms until the skin was raw and red. Was she hallucinating again? Was this all a dream?

 

Floyd cackled, once again. Still staring at Ruby. “Ignore him. What’s important is me and what I've taken from you. I don't care if Jonquil wants to strap a bucket onto your head as well and turn you into another of his little puppets. All that matters is how much you _hate_ me. Right?”

 

Ruby was _suddenly_ furious again, _yes!_ She thought to herself, _killing you is all that matters!_ She struggled against he binds she was getting more and more furious, in a way that a small part of her noted was vaguely familiar.

 

“ _Good_ , when the time comes I want you to take all that hatred...and turn it into strength, _strength_ you will use to end _my_ life. ”

 

And with that Ruby was suddenly not angry anymore but confused and sad instead. What had just happen? She had gotten so mad she thought, genuinely entertained of _killing_ another person, she felt sick to her stomach. Floyd was leaving her cell and she cried out to him, she was obviously she was angry, he had not only killed Qrow but her mother as well. More tears flowed from her eyes...she wanted to know why? Why he really killed them? It couldn't have been something so simple and so cruel.

 

_It just couldn't._

 

“What the hell did you _do_ , old man?!” Comorbid asked as he picked himself up off the ground, as he had apparently collapsed at one point.

 

Floyd looked at Comorbid and smiled. “Just making sure she has the right mindset.”

 

* * *

 

Weiss Jumped from one glyph to another slicing through Beowolves and Ursai alike with the kind of outward facing ease, that really didn't get across how difficult and taxing it really was for her to use Myrtenaster in her off hand...not to mention painful. Argus, during his their little scuffle had obviously noticed her injury, so the first thing he did after throwing Blake over the table was flip it himself and then he grabbed her hand and squeezed it as hard as he could, the pain was so great she nearly passed out right then and there, whatever damage had been healed by the limited amount of Aura she was using on the wound had most likely been completely undone.

 

But none of that mattered to her now, all that mattered was getting back to the safe-house and then getting _Ruby_. Blake and Ilia were lagging behind but that didn't matter either she could see the the safe house in the distance, it was swarmed with Grimm but Weiss could see streaks of green cutting through them like a hot knife through butter, by the time she reached the front door they were all dead.

 

She tried to land gracefully but she was so light headed she nearly fell over. Blake and Ilia were next her in a moment, all three were panting, short of breath. Oscar retracted his cane and fixed his sunglasses, behind him stood a weary looking Jaune and Ren. “Glad to see you three are safe.”

 

Blake, still out of breath managed to force out. “The _Trackers_...found us. We were attacked by Argus...Keppel.”

 

“Did you engage him?” Oscar asked curtly.

 

Blake nodded her head. “He’s unconscious.”

 

“Very well, we need to find the others and head to the airstrip.” Oscar looked down at Weiss’ hand which was now dripping blood. “Ms. Schnee I see you've re-injured your hand. Perhaps you should have Mr. Arc assist you in healing it.”

 

Weiss shook her head vigorously. “I'm... _f-fine_.”

 

Jaune stepped forward. “It’s no trouble, Weiss. It's literally what I'm best at. I would have offered earlier but...”

 

Before he could finish Weiss gritted out a very strained and venomous. “I said I’m _fine!_ ”

 

She didn't need any help, especially not from _Juane_ , pain is only temporary, she wasn't a burden, she didn't need help. _She. Was. Fine._

 

Though she was convinced the others didn't seem so in the slightest. Oscar looked especially unamused. “Don't be childish Ms. Schnee, you're in no condition to fight like this. If you don't let Mr. Arc heal the hand, then you're a liability and _therefore_ not someone we can bring on this mission.”

 

She shook her head again. “You _can’t_ do that-”

 

Before she could finish her thought Oscar stepped forward and raised his voice. “ _Oh?_ And who will stop me? _You?_ ” He removed his sunglasses so he could fully send her his heart stoppingly intense glare. Weiss knew he didn't want to threaten her but she also knew he wasn't making an idle one either, for a moment, she was furious enough to entertain the idea of fighting him but she knew, in this state.  

 

She couldn't even _touch_ Oscar.

 

And just like that her anger flowed away replaced instead by an intense feeling of shame. She really was acting childish. Jaune was a compatriot, someone she should consider a friend and not some kind of rival...at least not right now. She bowed her head and sighed. “ _Very well._ ”

 

Oscar’s face changed from intense to pleasant in what seemed like an instant. “Very good. After you, Mr. Arc.”

 

With a nod Jaune cautiously approached Weiss the same way one might approach a dangerous animal. A fact that made Weiss roll her eyes, with a huff she extended her wounded hand forward and Jaune took it gingerly into his armored hands. The slightest amount of contact was enough to make stars dance in her eyes.

 

“Hey, relax. It doesn't work as well when you're tense.” Jaune said in an attempt at being reassuring but sounded more nervous than anything.

 

“S-sorry.”

 

Before the words even left her mouth, Weiss was engulfed in a all encompassing warmth as Jaune amplified the power of her Aura. Almost instantly she felt the pain in her hand begin to ebb away, she could feel the cuts closing and the bones setting themselves, it was an odd feeling but also strangely pleasant. This was the second time Jaune had used his ability to help her in a time.

 

She still often thought about the battle of Haven, in her fight with Vernal she had relied far too much on her Semblance then on effectively using Myrtenaster or her Glyphs which left her not only wide open to the bandit’s attack but _Cinder’s_ as well. She didn't like to think on the fact that if Jaune had not unlocked his Semblance in that moment, she would have _died._

 

She had never really given him a proper thanks, what with Blake showing back up and that whole mess about returning to Atlas, she didn't really make time for it. Not long after, she and Ruby confessed their feelings for each-other and she decided in the heat of jealousy and pride that she _never_ would make time.

 

Because she had thought, rather childishly that if she showed any weakness to Jaune, he would exploit it and steal Ruby away from her.

 

While Jaune helped Weiss heal her hand,Yang, Tai, and Nora arrived at the safe house and recounted their run in with Cerise and Noire. When Jaune finally pulled his hands away, Weiss pulled the bloody bandages off her hand, Yang gave a purple handkerchief that she used to clean off the residual blood.

 

The hand was covered in scars and the more she looked at her nailless fingers, the more misshapen and _wrong_ they looked, even her knuckles looked off. She supposed that’s just what happened when you got your hand crushed by a Grimm.

 

“How does it feel?” Jaune asked _sheepishly_.

 

Weiss looked at him with softer gaze than usual. “It feels a _lot_ better. Thank you.” perhaps when all of this was over she would _make_ time to bury this hatchet.

 

He smiled, just as sheepishly. “No problem!”

 

Now that Weiss’ hand was healed, the group set off in the direction of the airstrip, dispatching any Grimm and Knights they found on the way with ease. The streets were completely abandoned as all the citizens must have fled to the city’s emergency shelter.

 

Nobody said much of anything as they continued forward. Everyone was focused on the task at hand and the part they had to play in it. To Weiss, _Ruby_ was the only thing that mattered, they needed to find her as fast as they could and get her out of this damn place and somewhere much warmer…

 

 _Warmer?_ This was Vacuo, apart from Menagerie, there was nowhere hotter on Remnant and yet it was _chilly_ and the sky was grey and cloudy...was this more of Maidens power being used? Weiss couldn't help but wonder. It was at that point she realized there was a figure standing just up the street, in the middle of the road, as motionless as a statue.

 

They were close to the Airstrip now, in fact the figure was standing right in front of the gates. The closer they got the more of the person she could discern, they had dark skin, dressed in burgundy, and they were holding something...a cane maybe?

 

That’s when it hit Weiss and seemingly everyone in the group at once, they all stopped walking, except Oscar who kept his stride. Argus also began walking forward, he shouted as he moved. “You're Ozpin, Right?”

 

Oscar stopped his steps while Argus continued to move closer. “Yes. And you're Mr. Keppel, I presume?”

 

“ _Something like that._ Say, when you get a new body do you keep your memories?” Argus asked, the two  now only a few feet away from each other.

 

“Only the important ones.” Came Oscar’s reticent response, the two were now face to face.

 

Argus laughed, he laughed hard, he smiled and nodded his head. “Yeah... _yeah_ , I suppose you wouldn't remember me then.”

 

Oscar readied his cane but kept his stance neutral. “I'm sorry if you feel I wronged you in the past. This doesn't need to end bloodshed.”

 

“No... _no_ , I'm afraid it does, _Ozpin,_ I'm afraid it needs to end brutally, _savagely_ , I'm afraid _this_ needs to end with a great deal of bloodshed.” A blade shot out from the tip of Argus’ cane returning it to its sword-spear form.

 

In the blink of an eye Oscar lunged at Argus, leaving only an afterimage in his wake and in that split _millisecond_ , Argus sidestepped the attack and struck Oscar with his blade, stabbing it all the way through his stomach.

 

Everyone was frozen in shock, while Oscar stood there impaled, staring into Argus’ blank cyan eyes. “Do you remember me _now?_ ”

 

Argus pulled his blade out from Oscar’s stomach and hit right in the face axe kick, Oscar tumbled to the ground and nobody really knew what to do, none them had ever seen Oscar struggle against an opponent who wasn't Salem or a Maiden like this before.

 

“ _Huh, how about now?!_ ” Argus yells, kicking Oscar as he tries to stand back up.  

 

He backed up and allowed Oscar to get back onto his feet. “That’s right stand up!”

Oscar swung his cane and but the blow was expertly parried and Argus slices his across the chest, Oscar’s Aura sparks green but his step doesn't falter this time. He turns his head and calls to the group still watching in shock. “ _Get to the airship!_ Wait five minutes, then _go!_ ”  

 

His hand surges forward, fisting the lapels of Argus’ suit, Oscar picks him up off the ground and throws him clean through the wall of nearby and quickly dashes after him, leaving only dust in wake.

 

The group share a series of concerned looks before making a mad dash to the ship. They board with no problems and then begin to play the waiting game.

 

Yang is the first to break the silence. “I can’t believe what I just saw.”

 

Everyone silently agrees, except Blake who seems to be deep in thought. “He didn't fight like that against us.” she says more to herself than to anyone in particular, though Weiss can’t deny her at all, he was like a completely different person.

 

Ilia is the only who speaks up. “He knew, Oscar, back when he was Ozpin. The two must have some history. He was fighting to _kill_. He didn't want to kill us, he just wanted information.”

 

Blake nods her solemnly. “I guess you're right. I wonder what he could have done to him.”

 

Weiss finds herself wondering herself. Ozpin seemed to have knack for making enemies back in his day, Dr. Merlot and Hazel Rainart both had wanted the same kind of revenge Argus seemed to be after and it even seemed like Oscar was...taunting him about it?

 

The way he said ‘ _Only the important ones._ ’ didn't sit well with her. First Edwin and Bosch seem to be after Oscar because of revenge and now Argus. That was three members of the Association. He was hiding something, _again._  

 

After _exactly_ five minutes. Oscar clambered into the _Moineau,_ sporting a few more shallow cuts and bruises but by far the most serious injury was the stab wound in stomach, which was still freely bleeding.

 

“Mr. Arc if you be so kind.” Is all he says as sits in the pilot’s chair and begins preparing the ship for takeoff.

 

Blake joins Jaune’s side by Oscar and looks at him with a serious expression. “Who was that, who was that _really?_ ”  

  
As Jaune’s Semblance helps heal Oscars wounds he matches her stare with one of his own. “Like he said, _nobody important._ ”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like Argus, i feel the only good thing about this story is how I write some the villains but I don't know if anyone else feel the same way. 
> 
> also Edwin killed Summer!? cuh-razy. within actual RWBY i'm sure Summer's death is actual gonna be a big deal but for whatever reason I like the idea of this huge thing, almost the lynch pin of the entire narrative having a really simple answer that makes you stop and go "wait, really?" I think it makes Ruby reactions very relatable during her scene even though she's under the influence of Edwin's Semblance.
> 
> also this next chapter may take even LONGER than usual, not because it's gonna be super long(who knows maybe it will, actually) but because I'm going to be going through each chapter and edit them to fix any continuity errors and improve general quality as Im going to start uploading this story on FF.net so sorry in advance to those of you who care.
> 
> peace be wit ye.


	24. Lunatic Fringe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT BOYS I did it! I finished this damn chapter! this thing was forty pages of a google doc(Times New Roman size 11) and I think it's the longest chapter I've ever written.
> 
> But before you read it you should know that I have completely rewritten(and improved) the prologue chapter. it doesn't contain anything really ground breaking but it does serve to further foreshadow some aspects of the story a little better. 
> 
> btw sorry for the wait for those who give a damn.
> 
> pls enjoy.

**Chapter 20: Lunatic Fringe**

 

If Qrow Branwen’s life were a novel it would have _one_ major criticism, that being there were far too many _bar scenes._ From an outside perspective it was probably rather funny, the amount of times he found himself at a bar, drinking himself poor, exchanging back of the napkin philosophy with bartenders and his fellow patrons like it was going out of style.

 

At this point it was like muscle memory to him, a natural reflex, go to bar, get drunk, talk about the meaning of life, long for the _good ole days_ , wake up in ditch, _or_ stranger’s bed, rinse and repeat. Even now while he was doing some sleuthing for Oscar he couldn't help but find himself slamming his hard earned Lien on the counter of some joint he didn't care enough to remember the name of and taking shots of the highest proof booze they had.

 

The lead he had been given was a complete dead end anyway. He was in Mistral, apparently Marron-Grey Comorbid had been spotted skulking about and a couple small time thugs were found with their heads caved in. which was Comorbid’s MO, at least most of the time, from what Qrow could gather he must have carried around a bladed weapon but for the most part he liked to use his hands.

 

For the most part the Tracker’s were like ghosts, near impossible to distinguish legitimate Agents doing legitimate work, from what ever work Littlehorn was having them do, the same went for crime too. There was no way for anyone to discern whether or not any kidnapping or murder was the work of the Association...except for Comorbid.

 

Of all the Agents under Littlehorn’s thumb, he was the only one who made noise, and he made enough to account for all the others nearly twice over. Savagery...that was the only way Qrow could quantify it, pure unapologetic savagery.

 

After a certain point Qrow was beginning to think that his attacks were an attempt at distracting them from the Associations true intentions with meaningless murders that lead nowhere, using Marron as a scapegoat. Oscar was beginning to feel the same way but at the same time it wasn't as if they could ignore these actions. Easily over fifty people had been killed at this point, if they couldn't gain any insight into the inner workings of the Association at the very least they could prevent the pointless loss of more lives.

 

“Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be Qrow Branwen, would you?” There was a loose grip on end of his cloak, gently pulling it to get his attention. The voice was quiet and gravely.

 

Qrow swiveled in his chair and faced the voice. It was a wheelchair bound old man with pale yellow-greenish eyes, face pale and gaunt, long wispy gray hair, he honestly reminded Qrow of a corpse and probably because of the alcohol in his system, it took him a moment to realise he was face to face with Floyd Littlehorn, Chairman of the Tracker’s Association.

 

Like being thrown into a vat of electrified ice water, he _sobered_ up real fast. Qrow opened his mouth but nothing came out.

 

Floyd laughed, a high, dry laugh. “What’s the matter, surprised to see me? It's been a while the last time we spoke was after you won your last Vytal Festival Tournament. Fond memories, eh?” He chuckled again, lower this time.

 

Qrow chuckled along, putting up his best unperturbed facade, he needed to play it cool, at the moment the Association shouldn't be aware of who _exactly_ is snooping into their business, so for the moment they were just two old Huntsmen having a conversation.

 

“Y-yes, it's been sometime, Chairman, what brings you to Mistral?” He asked, sounding casual and genuinely curious. Perhaps some form insight could be gleaned from this meeting.

 

The Chairman smiled, showing off, hid too white, very obviously fake teeth. “Just some...business, bad old business. In fact it’s the kind of business I could use your help with.”

 

 _That’s interesting._ Qrow thought, If he played his cards right maybe he could get some kind of in, play the double agent game. “Oh Yeah?” He said, playing up casualness in his tone. “What’s the job?”

 

Floyd _cackled_ loudly as he rolled himself closer to the bar. “Son, you've certainly have more gallantry, than most of these glass-hearted fools. It’s commendable given your _pension_ for misfortune.”

 

Qrow had never really noticed before just how tall Floyd was but when he sidled up next to him to order a whisky and water from the bartender, he saw how even sitting in that wheelchair, they were near the same height. It shouldn't have _really_ came as that much of a surprise, they met before and Qrow was familiar with the many legends the seasoned Huntsmen was known for.

 

“Say...” Floyd began after taking a large gulp from his glass. “I've got a pacemaker, you think your Semblance could make it malfunction and have me keel over?” He stared intently at Qrow, not seeming nervous or cautious...just _curious_.

 

Qrow scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. To this day, he wasn't exactly clear on the inner workings of his Semblance and either way he had no real control over it, it had a mind of it’s. As if to punctuate his sentiments someone in the far off corner of the bar dropped their glass and it shattered, probably making a huge mess in the process. “It’s... _uh,_ a distinct possibility, Chairman.”

 

He cackled again. “Don't look so worried...I don't mind the added danger.”

 

“So… Chairman, about this mission?”

 

 Floyd took another sip from his drink, ignoring Qrow’s question. He seemed to milling something over in his head. “I think you would mind, though... _you’d probably mind._ ”

 

Qrow raised his eyebrows quizzically, looking mildly confused. However on the inside he knew what this was becoming, this was a set up, they’d found him out, he figured Floyd had someone waiting to jump him. He slowly began to reach for Harbinger which was strapped to his back but Floyd began to laugh again.

 

“I wouldn't do that if I were you. There's a _bomb_ planted on my wheelchair and it’s hook up to my pacemaker.” He lifted up his left hand which held a remote with a single black button. “I also have this, so kill me or try to run away and no one in this bar will have to wake up with a hangover tomorrow. _Put your hands flat on the counter._ ”

 

Qrow complied slowly, keeping his eyes forward. This definitely wasn't how he was expecting things to turn out like this.

 

Floyd made a _tsk tsk_ noise. “Maybe you do have a _glass_ heart. I would've cut right across my face, separated my head right from my jaw, you're Aura should be large enough to handle the blast. But I suppose you've got a soft spot for the uninvolved, huh?”

 

Qrow grit his teeth slightly. “ _What_ do you want me to do?”

 

The Chairman smiled and polished off the rest of his drink. “You ever hear the story of _Old Ned Scratch?_ ”

 

Qrow just shook his head, playing along with whatever his captor was playing at.

 

“It’s an old story, its meaning...the lesson it tries to teach, is often disputed by literary scholars but _I_ myself, think it’s a story about how someone can use the tragedies of another person's life to suit their own needs...It’s about tricking people into becoming something else.”

 

Floyd smiled at Qrow again. “You should look it up when you can...maybe you'll agree with me.” he sets his gaze forward, staring at the rows of various bottles of alcohol on all the shelves. “I want you to get up and slowly leave the bar. Outside, Agents Comorbid and Kühlen are waiting, fight them to the best of your abilities, if you let them capture you because you thinks that’s what I want I’ll detonate the bomb.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Qrow reluctantly sat up from his seat. “What does this accomplish exactly? For you...for _your_ Association?”

 

The older man’s shoulders gently shook as he laughed a lot quieter than he had previously. “...It is _my_ Association, isn't it? Those boys outside their stories are a lot like _Old Ned Scratch’s_ . Maybe I want _them_ to kill you...maybe I want _you_ to kill them... _maybe_ I just want to see some good action.”

 

Qrow turned and made his way to the exit of the bar. Through a window he could see the two agents waiting for him outside. He grabbed the door knob and began to turn it, when Floyd suddenly called out to him again.

“One more thing...” He shouted from across the bar. “There will be a shadow cast onto _you_ and then a beast will step out from behind it...if you don't want to die, _that's_ when you should run.”

 

Qrow took in the cryptic hint as he stared at Floyd, the old man casually waved and turned back to the bar. Whatever it meant, Qrow figured he would find out sooner rather than later, it was obvious that Floyd was playing games with him...but to what end?

 

Qrow opened the door and stepped through it into the pouring rain outside. The door closed behind him and the ensuing fight could not be heard over the commotion of the bar.

 

Floyd turned to the bartender. “Scarred fellow, he came by yesterday. Gave you a package, i'm here to collect.”

 

The bartender paled like a corpse, nearly dropping the glass he was cleaning. “Uhm...S-sir do you have the _p-p-password?_ ”

 

At the mention of a password Floyd scowled, he placed a gloved hand to his chin and thought for a moment. They _had_ agreed on a password hadn't they? _Perhaps_ . But, at this moment he couldn't be asked to remember such mundane things as _that_.

 

_This moment was far more important._

 

Shaking his head, Floyd slammed both his hands on bar counter, nearly splintering the wood surface. He stood up from his wheelchair, mechanical joints clicking and clacking awake after hours of dormancy. His added height giving him nearly two feet over the now shaking bartender. “You listen to me, I don't have time for simpletons, things are afoot, great and terrible things...things you're very _small_ brain could not even begin to comprehend. I'm going to walk to the other side of the bar and retrieve my hat from the rack and when I come back, I want the package and I want _three_ more whisky and waters.”  

 

Floyd turned away and walked toward the rack, shaking his arms and legs, getting them ready for some extreme use. Today was the day he broke every bone in Qrow Branwen’s body until he _sung_ Ozpin’s location like it was the most beautiful of ballads. Or even better, today was the day he finally died, and to lose to one such as Qrow Branwen would be an honor or in the very least, rather ironic.

 

 _Callooh! Callay! Indeed!_ Such excitement...the tighter the noose around his and Oz’s necks got the happier he couldn't help being. Soon he could finally rest, this scythe he lugged around was far too heavy to bare for much longer, he was sick of himself and the beating of his fake heart at this point he figured of all the terrible awful things he had done, the next time he and his majesty met, he would have no choice but to kill him.  

 

And in turn he would have no choice but to do the same, the two would die and now that Salem was gone, it would be for real this time.

 

When he returned to the bar, hat in hand he saw the _package_ and his three drinks. He gave the still shaking bartender a smile that seemed to do nothing to calm him down. He downed the three drinks one after another, appreciating the burn in throat and warmth that coursed through what was left of his body. He unwrapped the package, which was really just his weapon wrapped in a blanket and tied up with twine and gave the familiar axe a twirl. It was heavy just as it always had been, he absentmindedly wondered if the bartender had struggled to carry it or if perhaps he was just a particular strong coward.

 

Either way it didn't really matter. Floyd pushed the button on his neck and his suits built in helmet appeared over his face, he grabbed the hat and put it on, he peeled off his gloves and tossed them away, exposing his robotic hands. He turned back to the bartender, who now looked more afraid than ever. “My thanks, is there a back entrance to this place?”

 

He gulped and pointed behind himself in vague sort of way. Floyd nodded, turning to his wheelchair and grabbing the remote before heading out of the bar from the back. It was still raining outside, which was never optimal for he mechanized body's performance but it shouldn't really matter, the boys should have teased out Qrow’s raw emotions, this hunt was not one of skill and finesse, it was more simpler than that, far more _real_.

 

Once he reached what he believed was a safe enough distance, Floyd brought the blade of his axe against the well worn groove on his pointer finger, imagining the sting of split flesh and burn of blood seeping from it. He hit the button on the remote and watched as the bar erupted in a violent, _fiery_ explosion, scattering flaming debris everywhere.

 

And maybe it was because of karma, or maybe Qrow’s semblance, or his absurdly skewed definition of _safe distance_ , or perhaps some combination of all three. Floyd was showered in shards of flaming wood and other material puncturing the skin of his torso, through the gaps in his armor and setting his clothes ablaze but perhaps most damning was the length of red hot pipe that had impaled him and from the amount blood spilling from his mouth, had most assuredly punctured his right lung.

 

This would make things interesting. _Certainly_.

 

Floyd now, clothes almost entirely burnt to ash, shambled through the flaming ruins of the bar, dragging his axe behind him. He passed through the threshold of the fire and saw what became of Noire and Marron, both were unconscious, Noire smashed through the hood of someone’s car and Marron, white coat nearly cut to ribbons and stained red, was lying face down in the mud. But their well being wasn't really important.

 

What was important was that Floyd, no, _Ned Scratch_ found himself standing before _Qrow Branwen_ once again it had been years since they last met and he still had that same shocked expression on his face too.

 

At first Edwin had resented his semblance, _it only affected a person's emotions, how could it ever help me in battle?_ He had once thought, it was only with age did he realize it’s true potential. Given the right stimuli with his semblance the calmest pacifist could be coaxed into brutal violence and the most brutal, ruthless warrior could be reduced to a sniveling coward. Once he activated it whatever emotion those in its range were feeling will slowly begin to amplify before reaching a peak and then it would reset and begin to build again.

 

Although if an emotional stimuli is powerful enough, someone could transition from being afraid, to feeling extremely confidant, which could be extremely dangerous in some situations but Edwin _always_ enjoyed his danger.

 

Right now, Qrow Branwen was afraid, clutching at a piece of shrapnel that had pierced him as well, Most assuredly Marron’s doing. Qrow struggled to his feet wincing in pain, the fear in his was morphing into something else.

 

He pulled the shard of wood out of his side and grit his teeth to avoid screaming. He looked at Edwin. “D-did _you_ do this?”

 

Edwin nodded his head slowly, he tried to talk but only a choked sounding garble escaped past his lips. Qrow was standing taller now and he could see, it was anger, _anger_ was overtaking those red eyes. _That peaked Edwin’s interest_.

 

Qrow tossed the bloody piece of wood. “ _Wh-where’s_ the chairman!?”

 

Edwin pointed behind himself, trying to indicate the the chairman had left. He still had a cover to maintain after all. He stepped forward and suddenly got a very good idea. He liked Qrow’s new energy, it was so different from back then on the island, this intensity, this anger, this hate..it was so _exciting!_

 

So without thinking Edwin grabbed ahold of the pipe pierced through his lung and pulled it out, instantly he felt the blood pour from the hole punctured in his armor but he didn't care! This was going to be a good fight! He threw the bloody pipe like a javelin and it landed just shy of Qrow’s feet, embedding itself in the mud. The heat in his gaze faltered a bit.

 

In the far off distance there were loud sirens, Edwin turned his head to look and saw the tell tale blue and red of law enforcement, which meant they had a time limit, however, when he turned back to face Qrow, the Huntsman was already gone.

 

Edwin wanted to give chase. But when a particular painful cough wracked through his whole body, he realized he probably should find a doctor, he couldn't let this kill him now! That look on Qrow’s face, he needed to see it again, he needed to take it _further!_

 

He slung his axe over his shoulder and took Marron in one arm and Noire in the other and stumbled off in the opposite direction of the lights and sirens, leaving the bar’s now smoldering skeleton behind.

 

This renewed vigor! It was something he could get used to!

 

_______________________

 

Dry, crusted over eyes, slowly cracked opened, revealing a world of muted blurriness. Cerise tried to stand himself up but his head seemed to be filled wasps, stinging, buzzing, and flying all over the place, making it impossible for him to find any semblance of bearings.

He rubbed at his eyes in an attempt to clear his vision but not matter how much he did, his sight remained blurry and unfocused. He pinched the bridge of his nose and a bolt of sharp pain nearly split his head in two. He cried out in pain and he nearly collapsed from his reclined position.

 

“Ah, look who’s awake, _Sleepyhead!_ ” a voice shouted from somewhere, Cerise was still too disoriented to know for sure.

 

A pair of strong hands slipped under his armpits and hoisted him to his feet. For a moment he struggled gaining some proper footing but eventually was able to plant his feet firmly on the ground, although the instant the supporting hands let go of him his legs gave out and he nearly face planted before the hands caught the back of his coat and pulled him back up again.

 

This time, the hands led him towards a wall and rested him against it so he could better balance himself. When he didn't immediately falter this time, the voice spoke again. “There we go, up and _atta ‘em!_ ”

 

Cerise shook his head, trying to somehow make his vision focus, there was a person in front of him, but he couldn't even make out their face, their voice sounded familiar in tone but its cadence was _strange_.  He thought back to what exactly he had been doing before he blacked out in hopes that it would make things clearer.

 

He was in Halcón and had came in search of... _Ozpin_ and rest of Team RWBY! Taiyang Xiao Long had knocked him unconscious, so that must have meant that this figure was...

 

“ _Noire_ ...is that _you?_ What on Remnant happened?”

 

Something nudged him on the shoulder and he nearly collapsed again. Noire giggled. “That’s right, silly! You got your face smashed in by that old dude! But don't worry, I tied part of my shirt around your head to stop your nose from falling off!”

     

As soon as Noire mentioned it, Cerise felt the pressure of the makeshift cast around his nose acutely, he could feel what little scraps of his Aura that were left scrambling to heal it. He looked at Noire’s silhouette, things were starting to come into focus bit by bit, from what he could make out, he was uninjured, which was good, Noire was an integral part of this plan, he was too much of an asset as Jonquil said on more than one occasion.

 

“ _Did_ ...did _they_ escape!?” Cerise breathed out, he felt like he going to be sick, his head wouldn't stop spinning, rotating. He prayed that there was at least some good news for him, that they were dead, or captured...just _something_.

 

“ _Yeap_ . They got away and I mean away, _away_. I even saw that fancy airship Argus told us about!”

 

At that Cerise actually did lose his balance, _they got away!? They're headed to HQ!_ Noire rushed to help him back up but he pushed him away. “Have you contacted Argus?! Did you warn the others!?” he cried, voice laced with anxiety.

 

Noire lifted his hands defensively. “I can’t! The weather seems to interfering with communications, I can't reach anyone! Even Argus!”

 

A sobering feeling swept over Cerise like a frigid tidal wave, his pain, nausea, and disorientation all forgotten. _This can’t be happening!_ He thought. This plan had been years in the making and it was falling apart right near the end! Just like Argus had warned them it would if they got sloppy. All this time, the fate of every human and faunus, the _fate_ of the _world_ was being _pissed_ away right before his eyes.

 

This was his life, without this plan he had no purpose, if they failed, he had no clue what he would do. He was lost without this...he couldn't let it end like this, he _wouldn't._

 

Cerise launched himself to his feet and grabbed Noire’s shoulders. “Listen to me, Noire. I'm going to make a portal to HQ and warn the others, while you need to find a way to get to Baagh Shahar as _fast_ as you can, _alright?_ ”

 

Noire simply nodded, before cocking his head quizzically. “What about, Argus?”

 

Teeth gnawed at Cerise’s bottom lip. Knowing Argus like he did, he figured he was either _dead_ or on his own way to HQ. The former filled Cerise with in indescribably awful feeling, to him Argus represented more of idea than a person, he was the idea that they were stronger and smarter than Ozpin, the idea that this plan, if executed right, was incapable of failing. If he died that meant all those thing were untrue it, meant they didn't execute it _right_.   

 

He shook his head. “W-we _can’t_ focus on that now, Noire. The only thing that matters is getting to HQ! _Do you understand!?”_ Cerise yelled, probably louder than was necessary.

 

Either way, Noire nodded his head all the same. “ _Yeah_ , I understand. _I’ll break their legs, Cerise!_ You'll see!”

 

 _They were on the clock now_ , Cerise concentrated all the Aura he could into creating a portal. When the pink rectangle appeared, it was barely large enough for him to fit through and would have most likely shattered if anyone had so much as touched it but it would get the job done regardless.

 

Before Cerise could step through his portal, Noire called out to him! “Yo! Don't forget this!” Cerise turned and something was tossed toward him, given his current state it was a miracle he managed to catch it.

He looked down at the object, it was his weapon...or at least one of them. _Freikugeln-02_ was inscribed on the side. He stuffed the weapon into his coat and looked at Noire, slightly smiling. “Thank you.”

 

Noire just smiled back, giving a an overenthusiastic salute, as Cerise went through the portal, leaving him to his own devices. Turquoise eyes glossed over the surrounding area until _something_ peaked his interest.

 

_Mallet Space- two 4 one Bolt Dust Special!!!_

 

Noire’s smiled wildly, barely able to control his newfound excitement.

 

_______________________

 

Snow fell slightly from the dark grey sky, tossed back and forth by the chilling winds, in almost any other Kingdom this wouldn't be anything of particular note. But this was _Vacuo,_ from his window Jonquil could see a desert Vista and a light snow fall at the same time. On any other day he would have considered a phenomenon such as this incredibly odd and maybe vaguely worrying but right now, on this day, this snow meant only the _best_ of things.

 

_She was alive._

 

_She was healthy._

 

_She was stirring._

 

_She was powerful._

 

Everything was going according plan and on top of everything, Ruby’s tests had gone superbly, her responsiveness to the therapy was remarkable and so far her body wasn't rejecting her new augmentations. In a week or two she would be like wet clay in his hands, ready to shaped into whatever he pleased. Ozpin _certainly_ would stand _no_ chance then. Back ups on top of back ups, so many sharp blade poised to pierce at his neck and drain him like a stuck pig.

 

Jonquil smiled to himself as he continued to watch the snow. _Yes,_ he thought _nothing could ruin this moment._

 

Suddenly without warning, there was clutter and the sound of wheezing and coughing filled the once silent office. Jonquil swung around in his chair and was met with the sight of a disheveled looking Cerise, blood all over his clothes, his face, his hair, a piece of fabric tied taught over his nose.

 

He tried to take a step but faltered, stumbling backwards and falling into a chair, narrowly missing the floor. He took a deep shuddering breath. “ _O-o-ozpin_ is...coming.”

 

Upon the mere mention of Ozpin’s name Jonquil sat up from his chair. “Excuse me?”

 

Cerise started coughing, clearly pushing himself to his limits trying not to pass out. “He’s coming... _airship_ , any second now. ” he wheezed out before breaking into another fit of coughs.

 

For the first time in a _long_ time, Jonquil was struck speechless, Argus had _failed_ him...that wasn't something that happened often, if at all. Ozpin had retaken the upperhand, even if only for a brief moment, it showed he was still not to be taken lightly.

 

“Where are Argus and Noire?” he asked, attempting to assess the possible damages, _how badly had Argus failed?_ He wondered.

 

Cerise raised his head up ever so slightly. “I don't know what happened to Argus... _Noire_ is on his way.”

 

That was good to hear, Argus may still be alive and Noire was still usable as well. They may have been on the defensive now but they still had the advantage, Ozpin had won the battle not the war...all they needed to do was stall him.

 

Jonquil hopped over his desk and checked Cerise’s condition closer, the boy’s nose was shattered, he was severely concussed as far he could tell, he was exhausted, and had _zero_ Aura. he was completely unusable right now. So for now Jonquil gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “You did well, Cerise, rest up and leave everything to me.”

 

Cerise simply nodded his head, while Jonquil went back to desk and reached for his intercom.  

 

_Back ups on top of back ups, so many sharp blade poised to pierce at your neck and drain you like a stuck pig. This is not over yet...You haven't won yet!_

_______________________

  


Blake couldn't stop staring at Oscar as he flew them closer to their destination. He was keeping secrets again and she was more angry at herself than anything else for being shocked by this. It was almost a secondary Semblance of his to hide potentially important information if it meant preserving people's trust in him and faith in his plans.

 

First it was Edwin Scratch and Bosch, now it was Argus as well. There was something larger at play here and he wasn't saying a word about to them, even though it was becoming increasingly obvious.

 

As important as she knew it was to confront Oscar about his secrets, she knew that the well being of Ruby and the Maidens was far more so, at least right now. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. It had been four years since she had last stepped foot in Tracker HQ, she hoped she would get to see Jonquil so she could ask him why. Why did all these innocent lives need to be taken? Why did Aqua really defect? And the one that scared her the most, had she been unknowingly helping them with this plan of there's?

 

She looked around the airship, everyone seemed to be laser focused for the task at hand. Tai sat in copilot seat arms folded tightly, his face like stone, a compact Crescent Rose leaned against his side. Ren was sitting cross legged eyes closed, with a serene look on his face and Nora sat next to him mimicking his position, though she seemed to be breathing a little harder. Ilia sat with her hands in her lap staring at ground. Jaune was standing just behind Oscar’s seat, she couldn't see his face but his posture was tense. Weiss was pulling Ruby’s cloak tight against herself, sadness and determination warring on her face.

 

But Yang looked...conflicted. Not angry, or resolute, or even nervous. She looked almost confused as she leaned against the wall, closest to her father, occasionally glancing at the back of his head. Blake thought about getting up from her seat and comforting her but before she could Oscar’s clipped voice broke the silence. “We’ve arrived, Team One prepare yourselves, I'm going in low.”

 

The Airship dipped, descending closer to the ground, the members of Team One stood at the ready waiting for the signal. “Now!” Ozpin called and the hull door opened. Yang, Ren, Nora, Ilia, and Jaune all jumped out of the airship before the door swiftly shut.

 

Oscar then went full speed ahead, nearly crashing into the the tall building before pulling up, what felt like moments passed before they reached their destination, the roof. Oscar landed the Airship and opened the hull door.

 

Blake took point, Gambol Shroud at the ready but was surprised when she was met with absolutely nothing, no Knights, no Grimm, no Trackers...just the cold bite of the wind and snow.

 

“ _...Snow?_ ” Blake couldn't help but mutter out loud in sheer dumbfoundedness.

 

“What in Dust’s name?” She heard Weiss say from behind her, just as confused as she was. “Is this even possible?”

 

“Yes,” Oscar said as he disembarked along with Tai, he looked vaguely worried behind his sunglasses. “ but I'm afraid of what it could mean for the Maiden’s safety, only their magic is capable of a feat like this, but on such a large scale...we must hurry.”

 

Blake retrieved her ID and made for the elevator, the rest following behind her, weapons ready. She swiped the card against the scanner and let out a tiny sigh of relief when her identification was accepted. The doors parted smoothly, revealing a, luckily empty elevator which they quickly crammed themselves into.

 

“So,” Weiss said, voice surprisingly calm and even. “Which floor is most likely to have Ruby on it?”

 

Blake did her best to recall her memories of all the purposes of each floor. The fourth and thirds were used to hold prisoners pending trial...however there was also the fourteenth floor which, on the books was the surveillance floor but off the books was an interrogation room with no cameras. Even when she was a Tracker, Blake had always pondered why the Association would need such a thing and now with her new perspective, she could only cringe at what kinds of awful things could have transpired in there.

 

Blake went to select the floor but saw that while she was gone, the Association had gotten new elevators as now, instead of buttons and a scanner there was a screen, showcasing a what looked like video footage of a prairie filled with yellow flowers overlayed with the Tracker’s emblem. It was aesthetically pleasing image but Blake wasn't quite sure of what it was suppose to represent, perhaps some kind idealization.

 

 **_“Good evening, Agent. Please provide proper identification.”_ ** A robotic sounding voice came from the scanner, prompting Blake to swipe her ID across the Scanner.

 

The scanner made a soft dinging noise before the voice spoke again. **_“Associate Blake Belladonna, which floor would you like to be taken to?”_ **

 

“The fourteenth floor”

 

The machine made another dinging noise as the doors to the elevator began to close. **_“Next destination: fourteenth floor. Have a pleasant evening, Associate Belladonna.”_ **

 

The elevator began its slow descent to its destination and Blake couldn't help but think about what awaited them next. Argus, Cerise, and Noire had all been dealt with, ao now all that remained to their knowledge was Bosch, Scratch, Comorbid, and Jonquil along with an unknown amount of Grimm, Atlesian Knights, and possibly more agents too. Even if their plan was going to go 100% as planned and those forces would be split evenly in two directions the unknown number of Grimm and Knights made things difficult to predict.

 

Nora had mentioned that the Knights couldn't discern that Grimm were technically on their side, so they would still attack them, which meant that each team was going to end up facing one or the other and most likely not both, which created the ultimate question. What are they using to defend the inside? Grimm or Knights?

 

The elevator dinged again. **_“We have reached the fourteenth floor.”_ **

 

Everyone immediately drew their weapons and took a defensive stance as the elevator door slowly opened but were surprised when they were met with nothing waiting for them on the other side, just a decrepit hallway leading to a open doorway. Blake once again took point, the others followed closely behind, the whole looked as though it had not seen use for a very long time, dust was everywhere. Blake couldn't help but think back to what Ilia had mentioned about no one ever really leaving the building. If the whole of the Association was camping out in this building, wouldn't it be more well kempt than this, wouldn't it be more well guarded than this?

 

Blake passed through the open doorway into the abandoned surveillance room, which was in just as bad a state as the hall had been, dust was caked over every single console, none of the screen were even on anymore, which further added to Blake’s confusion as she approached one of said consoles in a vain attempt to gain some insight, it looked ancient in comparison to the elevator they had just stepped off of, she searched up and down for some kind of powersource or an _‘on’_ button, with no luck.

 

If she hadn’t heard Weiss’ soft “Oh my god.” she would have probably spent a good a chunk of time searching for a way to fire the surveillance feed back up, in order to gain some kind of idea of what they were up against.

 

When Blake turned around she understood why Weiss said what she did, on a door marked ‘ _Supply Closet_ ’ was a crude carving of a rose.

 

_______________________

 

Yang landed in the courtyard, planting her feet firmly on the ground as she watched the airship speed away, bound for the roof.

 

This was it, do or die. She didn't know what to expect but she knew it wasn't going to be easy, all she could do was hope everyone could walk away from this alive, she hoped she could but this all behind her and have a nice big family dinner, with her dad, Blake, Ruby, Weiss, and even JNIR could join them!

 

Part of her thought maybe she was asking for too much, while the other didn't really give a damn, they’d been through enough already, they deserved to be cut a break.

 

So she strode forward, despite the worry she held for her father and her sister, she and the others had a mission: _create a distraction_.

 

However simple that plan seemed it concept, the Tracker’s still didn't want to make things easy for them because instead of an army of Grimm or Atlesian Knights waiting for them at their doorstep, there stood Marron-Gray Comorbid, _alone_. Hands in his pockets, metal briefcase laying beside him.

 

He made no movements as Yang and Team JNIR got ever closer to him, he was unphased, so it would seem, he continued to just stand there. When Yang could clearly make out his bored, mud-colored gaze she stopped and so did the others, weapons at the ready.

 

Yang grinned cockily. “Met some of your friends are in Halcón, Mr. Comorbid. They seemed real tired, don't think they'll be able to make to the party.”

 

Marron stared back, unblinking and utterly unamused. He didn't say anything back.

 

With a chuckle Yang brushed off the Tracker’s lack of response. “Where are your other friends? Don't tell me _they_ stood you up too?”

 

He hadn't even blinked yet, just like on Patch, he stood there like a statue, not blinking, not talking, barely even breathing. It unnerved her.

 

“Y’know it’s a shame we got stuck with you. From what I've seen and heard you Trackers sure love to talk, just my luck I get stuck with the one whose mute, it’s kinda pissing me off... _y’know_ things didn't end well for the last mute who pissed me off.” for emphasis slammed her fists together, while JNIR took defensive stances behind her.

 

Marron pulled his gloved hands from his pockets and slowly, calmly removed them, exposing his scarred hands, for a split second his eyes darted away from her own and picked his suitcase up off the ground, he locked eyes with her once again. “ _You like to talk._ ”

 

Her Aura disappeared and then something was biting her leg. She turned around and saw a tidal wave of Creeps had snuck up on them and now one _was biting her leg._ Chaos erupted at the front door of the Tracker Association HQ.

 

Yang screamed in mixture of anger and pain as she made quick work of the Creep with a quick shotgun blast, it wasn't serious but her footwork was going to take a turn for the worse from here on out.

 

Through the sound of gun fire and Creeps Jaune called out. “Group up and watch each others backs, if you get overwhelmed with no Aura it’s over!”

 

The five met in the center of the courtyard, Yang could feel her Aura again, which she could only assume meant Marron was using his Semblance on someone else.

 

The Creeps swarmed in small waves while the main horde circled around the Hunters, creating a barrier. Every so often someone would get clipped without Aura but it was nothing serious, Marron still stood in the same spot, now holding his briefcase but he didn't attack, he just used his Semblance from afar.

 

Creep after Creep fell with relative ease, with only marginal scrapes and bruises to show for it. The instant the last Creep was dead, Yang charged Marron, even this failed to garner any kind of reaction from him.

 

Before she could reach him however, she was blindsided by Boarbatusk, and was sent tumbling to the ground. She felt her Aura disappear the moment she stood back and she was nearly gutted by two other Boarbatusks. She blasted at their underbellies and they quickly disintegrated.   

 

Now with her bearings back, Yang could see that the courtyard was now overrun with Boarbatusks and everyone one was separated once again. Ren and Nora were together easily cutting through the Grimm with his speed and her power.

 

Jaune and Ilia seemed to be making short work of them as well, each Grimm that charged, he blocked with his shield, which she then subsequently struck with her whip.

 

The Boarbatusks weren't as coordinated as the Creeps had been and Yang still couldn't feel her Aura, which meant the others were safe at the moment, now was her chance.

 

A Boarbatusk jumped at her and she caught it by one of its tusks before it could hit her, with her prosthetic. She blasted it in the gut and continued her charge towards Marron.

 

Even with her leg, she cleared the distance almost instantly, she fired two blasts from Ember Celica at Marron, which he simply batted away with his briefcase. She lunged forward and threw a jab with her left as hard as she could.

 

He blocked the blow with his briefcase, but the force of the punch was enough to push him backward. Yang shook her left hand, which was now throbbing in pain, blood dripped from her knuckles, she still couldn't use her Aura.

“You're still a lot less annoying than Noire made you out to be.” Marron said calmly, he began fiddling with his briefcase.

 

Yang smirked. “Nah, I’m just in a bad mood, I'm usually _plenty_ annoying.”

 

Marron laid the briefcase down on the ground and opened it, retrieving two Animan katanas, one slightly longer than the other. “I hope you weren't expecting anything too flashy. These belonged to my mother...” He stood up and kicked the briefcase to the side, out of the way. “She claimed they are unbreakable, she claimed that so long as she held these bladed, nothing could defeat her, she could run into battle naked and walk away without a scratch.”

 

She charged at Marron again, this time with a right hook, he dodged the attack, effortlessly slicing Yang shallowly across the stomach as he moved. “Did you believe her?” she asked sarcastically, waiting for him to make the next move.

 

Underneath the collar of his coat, the barest hint of a smile formed. “ _No._ ”  He lunged.

 

Yang blocked his right handed slash with her prosthetic arm, but he sliced her shoulder with the left sword, before ducking away from her follow up. He got behind her and sliced he back with both sword, she hit full force with an elbow but his Aura completely absorbed the attack.

 

Across the courtyard, the last of the Boarbatusks were being dispatched by Team JNIR. but almost the exact instant the last Boarbatusk was killed, the ground began to lightly shake as six Beringels charged into the courtyard from the left and the right sides.

 

The Grimm slammed their fists into the ground angrily smashing craters into the concrete ground, sending debris of all shapes and sizes flying all over the place.

 

Jaune’s eyes darted between the Beringels and Yang who was struggling to face off against Marron without Aura. “someone needs to help her, _he’s gonna kill her._ ” he said out loud, as if coming to sudden realization.

 

He turned to Ilia. “Will you go?”

 

For a moment she looked sheepish, almost conflicted about giving an answer. “Are you sure you guys will be alright without me?” Her eyes darted to the slowly approaching Grimm.

 

Jaune, Ren, and Nora all nodded their heads.

 

She broke out into a mad dash, narrowly dodging one of the Beringels fists before setting her sights on Marron, luckily he was distracted dodging Yang’s sluggish strikes and didn't seem to notice her. She swung her whip hitting Marron square in the shoulder and sending currents of electricity all throughout his body.

 

Marron was frozen where he stood as the electricity coursed through him and Yang took that opportunity to clock him the face as hard as she possibly could with her right arm, hitting his lower jaw with a satisfying _clack_ which sent sparks of monochrome Aura flying all over the place.

 

He flew back a good distance, and after a short few moments Yang felt her Aura return to her, healing the shallow cuts scattered all over her.

 

Yang shares a glance with Ilia, keeping Marron’s prone form in her periphery. “Try to keep his focus off of me.”

 

For a moment she looks like she wants to argue but as she noticed Marron begin to rise to his feet she begrudgingly nods her head. Without a word she charges at the Tracker still trying to stand up, she swings her whip but before the strike connects Marron lunges out of the way and jumps to feet.

 

He immediately finds Yang and stares at her, activating his semblance and ignoring Ilia. Yang moves towards him again, despite her lack of Aura and Ilia strikes him with her whip from behind but he ignores it, tanking the hit.

 

Yang’s prosthetic first glances off of one of his blades again he dodges a flurry of attacks only to be hit by Ilia’s. He staggers, electricity coursing through him once more and Yang gut punches him as hard as can, blasting his Aura with Ember Celica. He doubles over and she swiftly knees him, the blow colliding directly with his head, without so much as a groan, Marron crumples to ground once more.

 

His body still pulses with Aura but his form remains still. Yang and Ilia both keep their distance, slowly circling the body with caution. “What’s the issue Comorbid, not used to an opponent who can fight without Aura!?” Ilia suddenly bites out, a distinct edge in her voice.

 

Marron’s body shudders as he gets onto one knee, keeping himself balanced with his swords. Part of his coat has come unzipped, revealing the almost patchwork like scarring that covers his entire face, he’s breathing heavily but somehow still looks almost bored, his eyes still have an undeniable intensity.

 

“ _Hey_ , Ilia let's try to keep a level head here, this isn't over yet.” Yang tries to keep her tone even, she was starting to see how these Trackers really operated, fifty percent mind games, forty percent luck, and ten percent actual skill. They couldn't let this guy get underneath their skin.

 

Ilia takes her eye off Marron and stares directly at Yang. “That’s rich coming from you of all people! Do you know what this psychopath has done!? Do have any idea how many people he’s killed!?”

 

Yang matches Ilia’s stare with one of her own. “That doesn't matter right now! We need to stay _focused_ , Ilia!”

 

Before Yang really knows what's happening, Marron is right in front of her, both blades at the ready. He swings with his left and on instinct Yang throws a punch with her left as well, her fist collides with the blade and her _Aura_ sparks indicating that he hasn't used his Semblance on her yet, Ember Celica fires and the blade shatters like a piece of glass.

 

He swings with his right and Yang catches the blade effortlessly, using her left once again, smirking as Marron looks shocked for a moment, cooler heads prevailed and she had won this, one more good strike and he was finished. With her non occupied hand she punched Marron, once again square in the jaw but an instant before the blow connects, Yang’s heart drops as she feels her Aura seep from her body. Her fist hits her target but does minimal damage, however the shotgun blast from Ember Celica fires off.

 

Marron’s Aura sparks brightly, indicating that it has now fully dissipated but Yang doesn't feel Aura return to her, instead all she feels is an intense burning in her lower abdomen. She looks down to see Marron’s broken blade buried to hilt in her stomach. She looks back up, body feeling numb, her mind filled with shock.

 

_He can use his Semblance without Aura!?_

 

His face is like a statue unmoving and emotionless, his dirt brown eyes boring into Yang’s own hazy lilac. “She was wrong...you _don't_ know how to fight without Aura, _nobody_ does.”

 

“ _Yang!_ ” Ilia cries before charging towards Marron with her weapon drawn. Marron flicks his wrist and the blade still in the ironclad grip of Yang’s prosthetic cleanly snaps in two, he flicks his head to the side and uses his Semblance on Ilia right as she’s upon him.

 

Just like with Yang, the blade enters her belly to the hilt but not before Ilia’s whip blade can fully extend and pierce through Marron’s cheek and fully out the other. At first Yang thinks he’s done for and turns her head away from the grotesque scene before her, Marron begins to make a unsettling wheezing noise that she mistakes for a death rattle but when the noise persists, she turns her head to see his eyes still wide open and unblinking.

 

“ _Au ahm eullh...haarh...._ ” He tries to grunt out, sending blood and spit flying everywhere but Yang can’t make heads or tails of what he’s trying to say on account of the long blade skewering both his cheeks and forcing his mouth open.    

 

The blade in Yang’s stomach is rustled back and forth as Marron vainly attempts to disembowel her, the only thing stopping him seeming to be a lack of strength in his arms. Yang probably would have doubled over but the muscles in her legs were so tense it was almost _painful_.   

 

“ _Ach onnt...ave ouu._ ” Marron gargled once again, more watery blood pouring from his mouth like it was gaping wound. Ilia mummered something that Yang barely registered, only catching the word “... _psychopath._ ” Before she activated the shock mode on her weapon.

 

There was a flash of yellow light and Yang quickly felt Marron convulsing, the broken swords slipping out of her and Ilia as he fell to the ground in a tensed up heap. Yang fell backwards landing flat on her backside, clutching her now freely bleeding wound, she could feel her Aura beginning to stabilize it but that did little to dull the excruciating pain. It came at her suddenly, her numbness from earlier now replaced with pins and needles all over her body, she cursed under her breath as tears pricked around her eyes.

 

She smells something in the air, _something_ burning and she realizes Ilia is still electrocuting Marron and that smell is him. Yang struggles to her feet but falls on her face instead, she cries out in pain and it’s enough to shake Ilia from whatever stupor she was in, she stops the current but doesn't pull her blade out of his face.

 

“I-I... _Think_ he’s done, Ilia.” Yang grits out. “Just leave him alone.”

 

Yet again Ilia seems like she’s going to argue but after a moment she retracts her blade from Marron’s lightly smoking figure. She grimaces placing her hands against her own bleeding wound, she too stumbles and falls landing directly in front of Yang.

 

The two stare at each other for moment, Yang notes how similar her eyes look to Ruby’s, _had they always been like that?_ She wondered, was this part of Faunus biology or had Yang never really taken notice before. “You lost your cool back there. Why?” She asks trying not to sound testy, there was tension forming between herself and Ilia, one that would not help in the battles that still most assuredly to come.

 

Ilia grit her teeth and shook her head. “We need Jaune.” she said curtly, craning her head just in time to see Nora crush the final Beringel’s head in with Magnhild. “HEY, WE NEED HELP HERE!” she called loudly, getting the attention of the others.

 

She sends a absolutely _withering_ glare Yang’s way. “Marron-Gray Comorbid fills the world with the kind of cruelty I won't allow myself to abide anymore... _Blake_ would understand that.”

 

Before Yang can respond, Juane and the others are upon them.

 

Jaune grimaces, his blue eyes wide with shock and disgust. “Dust, _what_ is that _smell?!_ ”  He catches Marron laying flat on his back, unmoving and turns as pale as a ghost. “ _R-right_ , well let’s get you two patched up.”

 

_______________________

 

The metal door had been sliced into with what must have been a sizeable blade but that wasn't all whoever had made the carving had also left some things behind. On the door’s handle was a lanyard with a card on it and at the base of the door sat a plain looking plastic box. But it wasn't like any of that really mattered to Weiss right now.

 

She immediately reached for the door handle, almost desperately, she knew Ruby was on the other side and she needed to get to her this _instant_ , she needed to see her face, she needed to hold her close, she needed to make sure she wasn't hurt!

 

She just needed her.

 

Much to her dismay however, the door handle did not budge, no matter how much she jimmied it. It was _locked_ , which meant she needed to find away to unlock it. Without even thinking, Weiss planted Myrtenaster blade on ground and began gathering her strength to summon her Knight.

 

“Wait, Weiss!” someone called out but she decided to ignore them, this door was blocking her from Ruby, so it needed to be dealt with, she didn't have the patience to go on a wild goose chase for some key.

 

A strong hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her away from her Summoning Glyph, halting the process momentarily. Weiss whipped her head back, ready to admonish whoever it was holding on to her but once she saw it was Tai, her fury died down significantly.

 

His face was calm, in direct contrast with the wild look Weiss no doubt knew she had in her eyes. “I-I...” was all she could manage before he cut her off.

 

“It’s alright, I know you're worried, I am too...but we need to err on the side of caution. This could be a trap.”

 

Blake walked passed the two before crouching, looking underneath each of the surveillance consoles. “He’s right. There’s a button that unlocks door. If someone forces it open, this whole floor would be flooded with a nerve agent that would put most of us out of commission.”

 

A wave of shame hit Weiss like a ton of bricks, she was beginning to act reckless again, but then again she always did when Ruby was involved. “I’m s-sorry, I wasn't thinking.” she says, embarrassment thick in her tone.    

 

From her crouched position, Blake makes an ‘ _a-ha_ ’ noise before hitting a button that makes the door click loudly. She stands up, dusting herself off, she give Weiss an understanding smile. “You're on edge, Weiss. It’s understandable but going forward you need to try and stay focused, _alright?_ ”

 

She nods her head. “Of course.”

 

Tai hums in agreement.

 

Oscar doesn't say anything.

 

Blake, before turning the door handle, retrieves the lanyard hanging off of it and inspects it, her eyes widen momentarily. “This is _Floyd Littlehorn’s_ identification badge.”

 

 _What could that mean?_ Weiss thinks to herself. It was now obvious who had carved the rose into the door now but it didn't make things any clearer and only served to make Weiss even more anxious than before.

 

Blake picked up the plastic box next, quickly checking it over to see it wasn't rigged to explode before, gingerly opening it. Confusion washed over her face before morphing into concern, her golden eyes flicked to Weiss’. “It’s Ruby’s clothes.”

 

A shiver ran up Weiss’ spine at the multitude of implications that could hold, while Blake place the box carefully onto one of the consoles. _What had they been doing to her?_ The question would not stop ringing around her head.

 

Blake drew Gambol Shroud and put one hand on the door handle, while everyone else prepared themselves for whatever might be on the side. She turned the handle.

 

***BZZZZZT***

 

A buzzer sounded, loud enough to make her ears ring, as the door slowly and heavily swung open, instinct took Weiss over once again and she dashed through the doorway first, weapon drawn and ready to skewer whoever wanted to stand between her and _her_ Ruby.

 

But for a third time the room was once again, seemingly empty. It was a small room with only two notable things within it, a broken chair lying on the ground and a large glass cube with a door, that was currently _open_ and held within was...

 

_Ruby._

 

She was half naked, covered in blood, bound to a metal rack, and _wasn't_ moving.

 

“Oh Dust, _Ruby!_ ” Weiss whimpered, tears pricking at the corner of her eyes, all pretenses of caution and self preservation were lost as she bolted into the holding cell. Myrtenaster clattered to the ground as Weiss tried to pry off Ruby’s bindings but to no avail.

 

Tears blurred her vision as she desperately tried to free her partner. She noticed that shapes had joined her in the cell. One came up next to her and touched something against the side of the rack. Something beeped and suddenly Ruby was freed.

 

Weiss’ heart leapt into her throat as she caught her limp form and gently brought her to the ground.

 

The first thing Weiss did was check to see if her heart was still beating, she pulled Ruby onto her lap and pressed her ear against chest and cried out in pure relief when she heard that absolutely _beautiful_ sound of life. “ _She’s alive!_ ”

 

At this point she was bawling her eyes out and she just couldn't stop no matter how hard she tried, she had tried to accept that she might find Ruby hurt but this was something else. She was _covered_ in cuts, deep stitched cut, on her chest, arms and legs, like they'd been doing surgery on her, bits of metal were _grafted_ onto her knees and elbows, she had a mask covering her mouth, and fresh looking welt on the side of he head.

 

Through her tears Weiss lightly ran her hands through Ruby’s hair. “What did they do to you, Ruby?”

 

Taiyang knelt down next to Weiss and muttered something she didn't quite hear under his breath. He reached behind Ruby’s head and unlatched whatever was keeping the mask secured to her face. When he pulled it off of her, Weiss had to fight to suppress the urge to throw up as a long width of plastic tubing followed the mask.

 

“What the _hell_ is this thing?” Tai muttered, half angry, half dumbfounded.

 

Blake took the mask from him and looked it over. “It looks like one of those altitude training masks that make it harder to breath, though this one has most certainly been tampered with.”

 

Weiss looked down at Ruby’s face. There was another cut across her cheek mirroring the her own scar. The welt on her forehead looked recent, someone must have knocked her unconscious. She looked as though she’d been dragged through hell and back and that probably wasn't very far from the truth.

 

She leaned down and lightly pressed her lips against Ruby’s forehead, they would need to going soon, they still needed to find the Maidens. The moment she parted from her partner, the unconscious woman began to stir, her silver eyes slowly fluttered opened.

 

For what felt like an eternity Weiss just stared speechless as her partner came to. Ruby’s eyes looked as though they had lost their luster, they were glassy and blank, holding no inclination on how she may have felt in that moment. Her whole body was eerily still, no part of her moved, not counting the small rise and fall of her stomach. It was _off putting,_ Ruby had clearly been tortured and Weiss had fully expected her to not to be as calm as she seemed right now, she couldn't tell if it was good thing or a bad thing.

 

“ _R-ruby?_ ” She asked tentatively, her voice uneven and full emotion. She wanted more than anything to pull Ruby into a tight embrace but she was worried that she could slip into a panic attack at any moment, in which case overcrowding her would not help, she needed to control her emotions now.

 

Her silver eyes flitted towards the direction of Weiss’ voice. The two held each other's gaze for a moment and time seemed to grind to halt, nobody moved or said anything as Ruby’s unfocused hazy eyes stared into Weiss’ concerned ones.

 

Silver eyes regained their focus and became wary, shooting about the room and scanning over everything. “ _Weiss..._ ” Her named passed through Ruby’s chapped lips as little more than a raspy whisper. “ _Is that really you?_ ” She barely managed to struggle out.

 

Fresh tears pricked at the corners of Weiss’ already watery eyes, at the just how broken and weak her partner’s voice sounded. Regardless, she forced herself to smile in an attempt to reassure Ruby. “Yes, It’s really me...everything's going to ok now.”

 

Ruby’s form stirred again as she struggled to raise her arm and cup Weiss’ cheek, it was strange, her movements seemed choppy and stiff but the moment Weiss felt the hand on her cheek she lost all interest on commenting on it. A small sob escaped her as she nuzzled her face further into the touch, she was utterly starved for this kind contact and it filled her entire body with warmth.

 

“A-are you going to kill me?” Ruby quietly murmured and suddenly all the warmth in Weiss’ body was replaced with the numbing bite of _ice_. She was struck utterly speechless for a moment and when she looked up she saw that Blake and Tai were as well.

 

Ruby’s face was disturbingly serene, she was staring right at Weiss but she could tell she wasn't all there. Weiss took a calming breath, placing her hand over the one on her cheek and stroking it with her thumb. “Ruby, sweetheart. Why would I want to _k-kill_ you? _I love you._ ”

 

She looks confused for a moment, as if the answer to the question why Weiss Schnee would want to kill Ruby Rose was something most people knew, like it was something taught in school. “I'm a terrible person, Weiss...I'm a murderer and a failure, you know that better than anyone.”

 

The grip on Weiss’ cheek tightened and Ruby began to sniffle as tears poured from her eyes. “Everyone dies because of me...because I can’t do anything, I left you behind, Uncle Qrow died, the Maidens... _everyone._ ” A powerful sob rips through her. “He didn't even know me but...he killed my mom because of me, he _told_ me.”

 

Weiss let go Ruby’s hand on her cheek and the arm fell limply back to her side, she cupped her face with both hands, utterly dumbfounded by what she was hearing. “Ruby, _what_ are saying?”

 

Ruby closed her and took a shuddering intake of breath. “Floyd Littlehorn killed my mother. He told me himself a-and...and when he did, I was so angry...so angry that I thought about killing him, I thought about cutting him into little pieces, I thought so many terrible, awful things and I _wanted_ to!-”

 

Her words stopped for a moment as she quietly sobbed. “I'm scared of myself Weiss. I'm really scared.”

 

 _Floyd Littlehorn...Edwin Scratch? He killed Summer?!_ Weiss thought to herself, utterly shocked by what her partner was saying, she looked up to the others, Blake seemed just as dumbfounded as she was but Tai and Oscar seemed oddly _distant_.

 

Weiss wiped the tears the Ruby’s eyes and smiled. “ _Ruby_ ...Floyd’s Semblance let’s him manipulate people's emotions. You _were_ angry but he _made_ you think those things. You're _not_ a monster or a failure.”

 

Blake crouched down and put a hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “She’s right. They're trying to turn you against yourself, you didn't do anything _wrong_. What else did they say to you?”

 

A powerful sob wracked through Ruby’s shivering form as she screwed her eyes shut. “Jonquil put a needle in my arm and...and I _s-saw-_ ” She stops completely unable to continue, crying harder and leaning in closer to Weiss.

 

Blake takes a step back and Weiss pulls Ruby into a tight embrace, press a soft kiss to her forehead. “Hey, _hey_ ...it’s _alright_ you don't have to talk about that right now.”

 

The quivering form in Weiss’ arms stills a bit. “I'm so confused, Weiss, my brain feels like it’s in pieces.”

 

“Take your time, sweetie, you've been through a lot. Do you want to try and stand up?” Weiss asked, pulling away to eye the metal grafted onto Ruby’s knees and elbows.

 

After a moment of contemplation Ruby shifts her legs about but much like her arms, they seemed rigid and stilted. Ruby seems more confused than distraught. “Weiss? I can’t... _I can’t_ bend my legs...or my arms.”

 

Weiss stared at the metal attachments, scanning them over in search of some kind of unlocking mechanism, trying her best to be careful to grab or touch anything too hard. “Does it when I touch... _whatever_ these are?”

 

“Only a little, it kind of burns.” Ruby responds, winging a bit a Weiss lifts up her leg to look at the pack of the _attachment?_ _Augmentation?_ She really didn't know what to call them. They were some of the strangest things she’d ever seen, black and red almost like Crescent Rose and sleek, and now that she was looking so closely at them she could see that they were not simply some pieces of metal grafted to her knee, this was some kind of cybernetic implant and she guessed the same could be said for the ones on her elbows.

 

 _But why? Why would they give Ruby cybernetic knees and elbows?_ Weiss couldn't help but wonder as she notice something protruding from very center of the knee, it was a circular piece of metal that reminded her of a ring pull, it was big enough for her to fit a singular finger through, she pulled the ring and a long metal rod followed with it. Ruby yelped and Weiss nearly had a heart attack thinking she had hurt her but it seemed to be more in surprise than anything, now with the stopper removed she could bend her leg freely.

 

Weiss removed the remaining stopper on Ruby’s opposite knee, while Blake took care of the ones on her elbows. Ruby had seemed to calmed down marginally but Weiss could still tell she wasn't exactly all there at the moment. Unsurprisingly, Oscar kept his distance and his neutral expression, however what was surprising was that Tai was still keeping _his_ distance. Even as Blake and Weiss helped Ruby to her feet.

 

“These cybernetics are like nothing I've ever seen before.” Blake said, tracing over the red and black metal, amber eyes squinted as they tried to discern any identifying detail on either augmentation.

 

“Same here.” Weiss responded, keeping a close hold on Ruby as she tried to gain her barings. Each different kingdom had its own style of cybernetic prosthetics but the sleek design of the ones on Ruby didn't match anything she was even remotely familiar with. “They must be custom made... _Ruby_ , sweetie do you remember getting these at all?” Weiss looked into her partners now once again hazy eyes.

 

“No...I just woke up like this... _Jonquil_ , he must have done it.” Ruby murmured softly. Now taking her first shaky steps, even with the slightest of movements her new robotic joints gently clicked. Within only a few minutes she seemed to have a hang of her movements again, it was at that time that Taiyang finally stepped forward.

 

“I'm... _real_ glad you're alright, Ruby.” He said, he sounded like he was holding back how really relieved he actually was. Weiss had noticed fluctuations in how Tai had been acting strangely, even before they left Atlas, he had been quiet and contemplative and now he was acting strangely reserved.

 

Tai pulled Ruby into a light hug which Ruby returned after a few moments of looking surprised. _Had she not noticed he was here?_ Weiss couldn't help but think as she watched the two. “Dad? Floyd...he-” she tried to warble out but Tai quieted her.

 

“Shhhh, I know Ruby, _I know_ . Qrow before _he_ ...he said something and it made me realize. I know now and I want _you_ to know, it’s not _your_ fault, no matter what he told you.” He whispered to her reassuringly, there was a tension in voice that wasn't quite so soothing as the words he was saying but it seemed to calm Ruby down regardless. He handed her back the compact form of Crescent Rose and then returned back to Oscar’s side.

 

A relieved kind of sigh passed through Ruby’s lips as she pressed the weapon close to her chest as if she were hugging someone. Ruby never grew out of her affinity for weaponry, _especially_ when it came to Crescent Rose, at this point Weiss saw the sniper-scythe as an extension of her partner, a piece of her. And with how relaxed Ruby looked at that moment, Weiss posited that she must have felt the same, at least on a subconscious level.

 

“Ms. Rose. do you know where the Maidens are located?” Oscar suddenly asked out of the blue, tearing Ruby away from her reunion with Crescent Rose.

 

Ruby seemed to pale at this question and almost physically recoiled from it. Weiss rushed to her side, ready to catch her incase she fell but thankfully Ruby seemed to regain her composure. She looked at Oscar, almost panicked.

 

“ _They're dead_...Jonquil fed their Auras to a creature he’s growing inside a Queen Lancer’s stomach!”

 

The words that poured from Ruby’s mouth,Weiss understood that they fit together to create a grammatically correct sentence but somehow she still couldn't understand _any_ of what her partner had just said.

 

And neither did anyone else, Blake, Tai, and even Oscar had shocked expression on their faces, although Oscar seemed to recover from his surprise faster than everyone else and returned to his normal stone-faced self.

 

“I'm not quite sure I follow.”

 

_______________________

 

Yang had always had familiarity with death, she’d known people who died, she’d seen people die, she’d even killed a handful of people herself. It was awful business but it was a part of how things just seemed to work out people fought and sometimes they died and sometimes they didn't.

 

She looked at Marron’s motionless body, he’d stopped smoking a few minutes ago but the air around him still smelt like burnt flesh and hair. He had certainly been crazy, like Ilia had said but did he really deserve to go out like this? She couldn't help but think. Maybe so, she didn't seem to know what he was capable of like Ilia did, Nora had kicked him and spit on him and neither Jaune or Ren reprimanded her for it.

 

That spoke volumes.

 

She’d searched his body after Jaune helped her heal her wound and didn't find anything of real value. His Identification, some gnarly old bandaging, blood encrusted nail clippers, a large knife, and some kind of remote with a single black button, there was a light on the top of it but it wasn't on, it was probably short circuited by Ilia’s whip.

 

His whole body, from what Yang could gather was _covereved_ in scars, she didn't look everywhere on him but she saw his forearms and stomach and they were just as bad if not worse than his face and hands. Stich marks, bite marks, cuts of all shapes and sizes, claw marks, and burns _all over him._ She could only imagine what kind of life a person would have to live to get that many scars, some of them must have been self inflicted, or he had to have actively sought out injury.

 

She remembered how he just _took_ most of Ilia’s hits while he focused on her.

 

It probably wasn't a good idea for her to dwell on this guy of all people. He was a murderer, someone like _Adam_ , according to Ilia and that meant he shouldn't get any sympathy from her. Picking up the broken remote and his identification, leaving the rest of her findings, she stood up and turned away from Marron, walking to the courtyard where the others were gathered.

 

The courtyard had been utterly _trashed_ by the Beringels, craters and broken pieces of concrete were scattered everywhere. She whistled and when she saw Ren turn his head, she tossed the remote his way. “Only thing of interest I found on our patchwork-y friend back there, besides his ID.” She said casually, hoping that Ren had some kind of idea of the remote could have been for, he was the smartest person he knew, bedsides Weiss. Although she would never give the _Ice Queen_ the satisfaction of knowing that.

 

Ren brought the plastic contraption close to his face while the rest of his team huddled around curiously.

 

“Any idea what it is?” Jaune asked tentatively.

 

Ren shrugged his shoulders and tossed the remote back to Yang. “Not really, it seems to be one of those garage door opener remotes, or at least something in a similar vein. No clue as to why Agent Comorbid might have one, perhaps it opens something?”

 

“So, what do we do _now?_ ” Nora asked to no one in particular as she kicked around some small pieces of concrete.

 

Yang held up the plastic card, dangling it by the end of its lanyard. “Like I said, we've got his ID, we can probably get inside with it, regroup with the others, deal with the rest of the Trackers.”

 

Jaune nodded his head in agreement with Yang’s plan. “It certainly beats standing around out here, we still have a job to do. Let’s go.”

 

Before anyone could move or even say anything however, when a Scroll seemingly fell from the sky and landed in front of the group of five, the screen cracked but the device remained on, it was beeping ominously. No one seemed to want to say anything.

 

The Scroll landed closest to Yang so she felt almost compelled to pick it up and see what exactly was causing it to beep. The cracked screen displayed an Aura monitor for Argus, Cerise, Noire, and Marron and in tune with the beeping, a red box flashed over the screen which read: “REMOTE DISCONNECTED”. As for the Aura readings themselves they bared some interesting insights, Argus, Cerise, and Marron all had _zero_ Aura but Noire’s worryingly enough was at _one-hundred_. Which could not bode well.

 

Although there was somewhat of a more pressing matter at hand, who threw the Scroll? Was it Noire? Whoever it was obviously communicating with Marron and _observing_ his Aura levels.

 

“Nǐ hǎo, associates of Ozpin! It appears you dealt with the Grimm and _mio...amico._ But now I'm afraid _l'excitations_ must now come to their conclusion.” a voice called from seemingly nowhere, deep, cultured, and utterly unfamiliar to Yang.

 

“You all have such _falleg, beautiful_ spirits. Not like the company I keep, Marron’s spirit is like a hole filled with corpses and trash, it’s so ugly and the others are no better. So, I'm going to give you five a chance to flee, so your spirits can live on.” The voice called out again, sounding closer.

 

“And just abandon our friends, so far we've dealt with four of your guys and we’re all still standing as far as I know. You don't scare us and I know _you alone, whoever you are_ , can’t beat us by yourself.” Jaune called back, a harshness and confidence in his voice Yang had only heard a few times around the ladder end of the war, it was his _leader_ voice and though it wasn't as good as Ruby’s it seemed to shut up the voice, if only for a brief moment.

 

As the tension in the air grew around them, the five Hunters once again clumped together, something was moving closer from the leftmost part of the courtyard with heavy steps, there's a sudden wispyness in the air, like the winds had picked up but the snow still lightly falls the same way it has since they got here.

 

Yang sees something black out of the corner and she nearly does a double take. It’s a Grimm slowly stomping towards them, it’s _Bosch_ , his lanky form wrapped in a tattered brown cloak, bull-like horns piercing into the sky. Several Geists swarmed around him like insects around a piece of rotting meat.

 

His lanky arms extended, showing off his long clawed fingers. “That’s what you people don't seem to understand about our plan. Beating you doesn't mean anything, the only thing that matters is wasting your _tempus_ , your time.”

 

A points a long finger toward the group. “ _Aller!_ ” He shouts and the Geists fly towards the scattering of rubble made by the Beringels, forming bodies from the pieces of concrete until they are surrounded by _seven_ Petra Giga.

 

The Grimm descend upon the five all at once, smacking everyone about, Yang takes a hit that sends her literally soaring away from the others, as she flies through the air she tries to think about what Bosch said. _They don't care about killing us, they're just stalling for time! What the hell is in that building?!_

 

Yang hits the ground hard, skidding across the ground into a puddle of dried blood. She grunts as she pulls herself back up to her feet, she can see Ren and Ilia jumping from Geist to Geist and Bosch simply watching with folded arms. Yang rubs some the flakes of dried of blood off of her sleeve, this must have been where she and Ilia had fought Marron, she quickly realizes as she plots her attack.

 

She can see the remains of Marron’s swords, the old bandages, and even the nail clippers on the ground as she plots her course, if she can dodge in between the Geist and get to Bosch maybe she could get him to call them off or at least kill him before he can make anymore trouble, a voice in the back of her head asks a question that she finds very interesting

 

_Where’s Marron’s body?_

 

Yang turns around and her world is immediately enveloped by darkness, as something is tossed over her body. _It’s his coat!_ She quickly realizes, instinctively taking a step backwards as she feels her Aura drain from her body, something pierces her shoulder, then her abdomen, and then her hip in rapid succession.

 

She falls backward and the coat slides off her revealing her assailant. It’s Marron he’s hunch over and panting and in his hand he’s hold the very knife Yang had found on him earlier. Blood is still pouring from the wound on his face but his eyes seem unphased by any of it. The empty grey voids tear into Yang’s bleeding form like two nails through a piece of wood.

 

_His eyes were brown before._

 

“ _H-h-how?..._ ” she hisses out through clenched teeth, unsure which freely bleeding wound she should be trying to cover.

 

Marron shoves two whole fingers through the hole in his left cheek and bites down on them with his teeth until they start to bleed, he extracts the bleeding digits and points them at Yang, flicking blood all over her face.

 

“When _I-I_ was young my m-mother would b-b-beat with sticks until I _p-pissed_ myself. _This is nothing._ ” he barely manages to get out, sounding like he’s on the verge of passing out, each breath he takes seems to make his whole body shudder but slowly shambles towards Yang all the same.

 

“You're small, X-xiao Long, you, Amitola, Ozpin, even _Noire_ ...you're all s-so _s-small_ . But you don't seem to realize that, you think you're _big_ , you think the fact that your heart beats, that you have some kind value.”

 

Her entire body feels as though it is on fire but through the pain, Yang still tries to stand herself back up.

“W-what does that make you, then? What _value_ do y-you have?” She spits, literally spitting up blood as she speaks. Blackness is swarming around the edges of her vision and it only seems to grow darker with each breath.

 

Marron’s legs falter and he falls face first to the ground, just barely catching himself before his face collides with the concrete. His knife clatters against the ground, the noise barely audible in comparison to the sounds of gunfire and Geists in the courtyard. His arms and legs shake, barely able to keep up his own weight.

 

He, looks up at Yang, his tangled mass of dirt brown hair clings to the side of his head, slick with blood and sweat. His face looks almost like a painting, a mass of dark and nauseating colors. The pallid olive skin, marred and cross hatched with the dark browns and pale whites of scar tissue, the fresh pink burns splotched around his forehead and chin, running down his neck, the dark crimson of blood on his cheeks, dripping from in between his lips, and the eyes, colder than ice, grey as stone, almost flat like drawing. He looks like a corpse.

 

“I’m small too, but i'm still bigger than you, because I know I'm not worth anything besides how many minutes I keep from stepping foot in that building. I _don't_ care about the Association, I _don't_ care about Jonquil, I _don't_ care about who you are, I _don't_ care about dying, I _don't_ care about saving the world, I _don't_ care about destroying it, either...the _only_ thing I care about in this singular moment is stopping _you_ from completing your mission.”

 

Yang glares at Marron as he finally collapses into a puddle of his own blood and once again feels her Aura slowly return back to her. Marron was unlike any opponent she’d ever faced before, his will power was staggering but he didn't seem too passionate about the nebulous cause of Trackers and didn't seem like was looking for any kind of revenge.

 

She would need to ponder on this more later, possibly when she wasn't currently bleeding from three separate stab wounds. The black spots in her eyes had now grown to point she could barely see anything, her Aura would stop her from dying but it probably wouldn't stop her from passing out.

 

“That was a _reaaalllyyy_ good speech, _pard_ . I think I learned a lot. Let’s hope you don't kick the bucket though.” A bubbly sounding voice, suddenly called from behind Yang and before she could even turn around a _strong_ hand grasped a fistful of her hair and pulled her to her feet.

 

She fought against the grip but she was far too out of it to break from the wrought iron grasp on her hair. Something that sounded like it was full of glass hit the ground softly and another hand grabbed her wrist and twisted her in the direction of her captor.

 

It was _Noire,_ smiling a wide toothy smile at her, there was something off about his turquoise gaze that she couldn't quite figure out but the still held that same kind of danger behind them.

 

“ _W-what_ is your p-problem with me?” she couldn't help but ask, things were going from bad to worse and Yang could barely manage to keep her eyes open at this point, let alone have another fight with this freakshow.

 

Noire made a confused face even scratching the top of head, as he thought on what Yang said. “I've got a problem with you? I don't even know who you are, _silly!_ ” he turned his head to look at the debacle happening in the courtyard. “Now _them_ , I _think_ I know them. But _you?_ I don't know ya, _capiche?_ ”

 

Not waiting for a response, Noire reached for something out of Yangs peripheral view, she could here the clinking of glass again and before she could realize what was happening, Noire hand returned into view holding a sizeable chunk of pure Bolt Dust.

 

“Y’know this stuff is usually _not_ cheap _but_ they were on sale! And when I threatened to break the shop owner’s legs, he gave me this whole sack for free!” As soon as the words left Noire’s mouth, he tilted his head and slammed the Bolt Dust shard clean into the side of neck, blood shot from the wound and condensed electricity began coursing through his body. He convulsed and dropped Yang back onto the ground, the golden arcs of electricity covering his body slowly began to turn pink as the chunk of Dust was _completely_ drained of energy.

 

Far away, Yang heard a terrible crash, almost like an explosion. She idly wondered what it could been.

 

Yang felt more tired than she had in a long time but she was still aware enough to see Noire leaning over her, feel the power coming off of his body, it was enough to make the hairs on the back of neck stick up. He extended his hand to her and lightly jabbed his finger against her nose.

 

He said something but Yang didn't hear what it was.    

 

_______________________

 

After Ruby retold her experiences since her capture, her torture at the hands of Marron to see whether or not his semblance would work on her eyes, she told of Unseelie and her strange conversation with Bosch, she spoke of what she saw on the sixteenth floor, the fate of the Maidens, Jonquil’s Grimm-Human hybrid, and her subsequent interrogation on the nature of her eyes and how she was drugged and saw a series of rather vivid and traumatizing hallucinations, at the moment she refused to go into any specifics, which must have been a testament to how badly they affected her. A fact that served to only further Weiss’ already monumental anxiety concerning the well being of her partner.

 

As Blake pointed out the drug Ruby had been injected with, _lysergsäure-diäthylamid_ was an incredibly powerful and illegal hallucinogen and indeed not a sedative. According to Blake the drug was often as form of torture, as giving it to someone unaware of its properties or under the pretense it did something else would create the illusion of one losing their mind and was usually highly traumatic.

 

That did not help to ease Wess’ worries. And in fact neither did the final interaction Ruby had before she was freed from captivity. Floyd Littlehorn had paid her a visit and admitted to murdering Summer Rose and using his semblance to try and make Ruby angry enough to want to kill him before abruptly leaving, a few moments later or perhaps longer, an alarmed sounded and Marron entered Ruby’s cell and knocked her unconscious. Floyd or rather Edwin’s desire to for Ruby to kill him answered the question as to why he left his ID on the door, he _wanted_ Ruby to escape.

 

And that wasn't a good thing.

 

It also served to further muddy the waters as to what exactly was Jonquils plan at this very moment? It was clear now that he is the one in charge, was Floyd following orders or was he acting out on his own?

 

The others had left the containment room while Weiss stayed behind to help Ruby get dressed, she was still getting used to her new joints, they seemed to be difficult to use for minute movements as they seemed to carry a lot of power with them. That was another piece of the puzzle, why had Jonquil outfitted Ruby with augmentations? He or at least someone in his employ seemed to be rather gifted in cybernetics, Floyd fought in a mechanized suit, the Unseelie person Ruby mentioned, seemed to be a robot or cyborg, and Cerise could command the knights without even speaking, according Blake. Were they trying to recruit her?

 

“H-hey, Weiss.” Ruby suddenly spoke up out of the blue as Weiss helped her into her pants, they were the same she’d worn in Atlas and were certainly more suited for a colder climate but it had been snowing outside when they first arrived and they didn't really have any alternatives.

 

“What’s up, Ruby?” Weiss responded smiling warmly up her partner and hoping it didn't look forced, Ruby seemed as good as she could in her given situation but how she had acted and the things she had said when she first woke still weighed heavily on her.

 

She swallowed and her silver eyes darted to the closed door of the containment room, she was nervous. “W-when Floyd spoke to me...h-he mentioned that he used to _kill_ for Ozpin. I know how spotty Oscar’s memory can be and I also know how likes to keep his secrets...”

 

Ruby trailed off, not sure how to finish what she was trying to say, Weiss couldn't help but look at the same door she had only a few moment earlier, she felt nervous to bring this up but why? Everyone else knew. She stood up and took Ruby’s hands into her own.“now that you mention that, Ruby. there are two things we neglected to mention to you, Argus Keppel...he seems to have a past with Ozpin and it appear to be the reason he’s involved with any of this _but_ Oscar refuses to elaborate.”

 

She paused to let Ruby absorb the information and ask any questions, when she remained silent, she continued. “But the biggest by far is that the characters in that story you mentioned...they're real, Floyd Littlehorn is Old Ned Scratch and that Hellion, Bosch he sicked a Karnonos on me and I broke my hand pretty badly.”

 

Weiss raised her left and showed off the multitude of scars and her lack of finger nails. Ruby seemed flabbergasted for a moment, she took Weiss’ scarred hand into her own and pressed her lips against it, when she looked up at Weiss again her eye were misty. “Did that happen after I abandoned you?”

 

“It’s not your fault Ruby...” Weiss tried nip this entire conversation in the bud. Although technically Ruby was at fault for leaving her, she was the only one to blame for her injury. “We were both under the effects of Edwin’s semblance. We both acted irrationally but it's fine now, I'm fine now.”

 

Ruby continued to stare at Weiss’ hand, a concerned look on her face. “I'm still sorry, if I had been there...”

 

Weiss cut off Ruby with a kiss, if the divulged into _‘what-if’_ scenarios now they would end up wasting more time than they already have. Weiss forgave Ruby of whatever transgressions you thought she had committed, they needed to move on, they needed to put a stop to all this madness once and for all.

 

When the two parted Weiss smiled at Ruby and tried to impart all the love she held she held for partner into it. “What’s done is done, I don't blame you Ruby and we can’t change what happened. We need to get moving.”

 

Ruby looked surprised by Weiss’s words for a moment but they seemed to inspire a sort of determination in her, one that reminded Weiss of the old days, back during the war. “You're right, we need to stop Jonquil and the others.”

 

With Weiss’s help they wrapped Ruby back up in her cloak and made for the exit of the holding cell, although before they left the interrogation room Ruby grabbed a hold of Weiss’ wrist. “I want you to know, I don't blame you for anything that happened to me either. I saw a lot of _b-bad_ things and I promise we can talk about it later, just know that I'm ok and I can still fight.”

 

Weiss nodded, Ruby’s determination spreading to her, as the two left the interrogation room, joining the others in the surveillance room.

 

The buzzer sounded its klaxon cry for the _last_ time.

 

“So, Ms. Rose, are you able to join us on the sixteenth floor?” Oscar asked almost immediately.

 

Ruby unfurled Crescent Rose and twirled it around, seeming to gauge her own abilities at this point. “Of course, Oscar!” she said sounding like her chipper old self again. “We should hurry, though we've probably wasted enough time.”

 

Oscar nodded, heading down the hallway towards the elevator. “Very well.”

 

The others followed after, the six of them all crowding into the elevator. Blake swiped ‘ _Floyd Littlehorn’s’_ ID card and the automated voice came from the console once again.

 

**_Good Evening, Chairman Littlehorn, which floor would you like to be taken to?_ **

 

“The sixteenth floor.”

 

**_“Please state the password to proceed.”_ **

 

Ruby stepped forward. “Messiah.”

 

**_“Correct. Have a pleasant evening, Chairman Littlehorn.”_ **

 

 _Messiah?_ Weiss thought to herself. _Was that what Jonquil thought he was creating? A Messiah?_ to Weiss that sounded rather presumptuous but it seemed obvious to her that he must have some kind of god complex to think that merging a human and Grimm was anything more than disgusting was simply  _delusional_.

 

Next to her Weiss noticed Blake had her eyes screwed shut and ears pressed flat against her head. Weiss placed and hand on her shoulder and she flinched. “Hey, Blake are you alright?”

 

Everyone in the elevator turner to face her. Blake shook her head, seeming very uncomfortable. “I can feel something...it reminds of things I’d rather forget.”

 

 **_“We have reached the sixteenth floor.”_ ** The elevator dinged and opened flooding will a pungent odor of bleach, blood and _Grimm_...it smelt so very strongly of acrid burnt smell Grimm ash it was almost too much.

 

The beds Ruby had mentioned were nowhere to be seen instead only Edwin Scratch swinging scythe around stood before them.

 

“Ah, here we are! It’s about time!” He exclaimed, voice distorted by his metal face mask, bulky, built from a smooth looking white metal, bright yellow lights shiny from under the brim of his hat. He extended his arms out wide, balancing his scythe on the palm of his hand. “So we final-!” before he could finish what he was going to say, Tai lunged out the elevator and tackled him to the ground, knocking his scythe out of his hand and clattering to the ground.

 

Tai laid into the mechanized man with his knuckle dusters, sparks flying whenever they connect with the metal.

 

“NED, WHAT THE **_FUCK_ ** IS ALL THAT RACKET!?” A voice shouts from what sounds like another room, one of the doors on the platform swings open and Jonquil holding a mug steps through it, looking annoyed, a man in bulky looking armor, holding a sword follows behind him.

 

Jonquil jaw hangs open and he drops his mug, shattering it and spilling its contents all over the floor. “W-what? How!?” His eyes are wide open in comparison to the smarmy squint he'd had going on the last Weiss saw him.

 

Edwin still getting smacked around by Tai, called out. “Oh, h-how _f-fatuous_ of me, I left my keys lying a-about!” Before letting out a grunt of exertion and tossing Tai clean off of him and into a wall, he reached for his scythe and hopped to his feet.

 

Ruby disappeared in a flurry of rose petal, shooting straight for Edwin like a bullet. Impressively, he was able to parry Ruby’s strike like it was almost nothing, he grabbed her by the scruff of her cloak and threw her straight at Taiyang, the two collided with each other and before either could regain there bearings, he slammed into them with enough force to bring the wall down and push them into the next room.

“Ruby!” Weiss couldn't help but cry out, she turned to a placid Oscar and flabbergasted Blake. “I'm going to help them!”

 

Oscar simply nodded. “By all means, Ms. Belladonna and myself shall deal with the rest.”  

  


_______________________

 

Weiss sprinted off, chasing after Edwin and the others through the hole in the wall. Oscar began slowly walking towards Jonquil, who looked very different from the last time she had seen him, his hair was disheveled and his eyes were opened, panicked, pools of gold, she’d never seen his eyes open before.

 

The man standing behind him hadn't moved at all, judging by his strange headwear he must have been Unseelie. Blake recognized the sword he was holding as well, it was _Chol,_ the weapon Jonquil had used as a Huntsman.

 

“Jonquil Tracassin, I presume?” Oscar said, voice calm, once he reached the base of the stairs.

 

Jonquil backed up a bit, back touching against the railing at the end of the platform. “O-ozpin...I presume?” He looked at Blake. “Good to see you again, Blake.”

 

Blake shook her head. Genuinely upset that she had to this song and dance again. She’d trusted in this cause and who knew how much she contributed to this end product but it was over now. “I wish I could say the same thing. We’re here to end this madness...you've gone too far.”

 

Jonquil shook his head, he looked almost deranged at this point. “I may have gone too far...but i'm doing so for the _greater good!_ She…she will be the perfect being, under her no one will ever suffer again, what is so hard to understand about that!?” Jonquil steps forward, seeming a little braver than before, he points his finger at Oscar. “This was _supposed_ to be your job but you refuse to use your power for any real benefit!”

 

Oscar begins climbing the stairs. “And what exactly have _you_ done? How many people have you killed to create this ‘perfect being’ exactly? You are messing with things you _do not_ fully understand.”

 

Jonquil shakes his head and turns to Unseelie, he snaps his fingers and he gives him Chol. “Do you remember us, Ozpin? I'm sure Argus asked you the same thing before you killed him or whatever it is you did to him.”

 

Oscar’s face remained emotionless despite the obvious tension. “I _don't_ know you people and I don't care about your _stupid_ little revenge plot.” With a flourish Oscar drew his cane and readied himself for combat, while Jonquil remain passive, holding Chol and looking at the blade.

 

Blake drew Gambol Shroud and prepared for what was to come next.

Jonquil looked like he was going to cry as he reluctantly took a combative stance. “This sword belonged to _Robin Paraffin!_ The leader of Team RHSE, you won't stand before _us_ and deny her memory like that...I won't let you!”

 

For a fleeting moment Oscar looked surprised but it past quickly as Jonquil lunged at Oscar. Chol and Oscar’s cane collided, before being knocked back. Oscar leaped forward and struck Jonquil across the face, sending him careening backwards slamming straight though the desk in the center of the platform.

 

But before Oscar could do anything more, Unseelie stepped in front of him, cutting quite the imposing figure as he stood there, motionless. Oscar swung his cane and hit Unseelie square on his helmet but the blow was promptly shrugged off by the massive man, who grabbed Oscar by the throat one handed and raised him high into the air.

 

In his grip, Oscar flailed, kicking his feet and swinging his cane, but no matter how many time he hit Unseelie he would not falter. Blake even shot him a few times with Gambol Shroud but just like all other forms of attack they just seemed to glance off him.

 

Unseelie threw Oscar like he weightless, letting him tumble down the very steps he had just climbed moments ago. While he caught his breath, Unseelie slowly, _methodically_ descended the stairs.

 

Blake leapt to Oscar’s defense but before she could even react, she was punched in the gut so hard, she nearly vomited, her legs gave out immediately and she was easily tossed aside. Her Aura had stopped any permanent damage but at that moment she was too winded to even stand back up. The strike had a raw strength about it that reminded her of Yang when she used her semblance. And how terrifying she could be sometimes.

 

Unseelie stomps on Oscar’s head and he puts a hole in the tile floor. Oscar struggles to break himself free but pressure from Unseelie’s foot is too much. He can’t move.

 

Jonquil rises from the debris of the desk, still clutching at Chol, there's a bleeding gash just above his right eye from where Oscar hit him but he doesn't seem to mind. “You feel that strength, Ozpin? _That_ is the strength of _rebellion_...not the strength of someone who _endures_. _His_ name was _Epidote_ _Bredbeddle_ and you _killed_ him but _I_ brought him back to life!”

 

Unseelie or rather _Epidote_ raises his foot and Oscar’s arm shoot out and grasp his ankle in a vice like grip, Oscar throws Epidote up into the ceiling and in on his feet in blur of motion. Epidote lands helmet first onto the ground with a tremendous clatter.

 

Oscar looks disheveled, his sunglasses, are nowhere to be seen but he seems uninjured, not a drop of blood on him, except for the stain left behind by Argus. “You are a fool to think he _alone_ is capable from impeding my progress.”

 

Jonquil holds his ground, he loads something into Chol, as Epidote slowly rises to his feet. “I'm no fool. I know we can’t defeat you but I _will_ hold my ground, as I have done so before. You _cannot_ scare me _anymore!_ ” Jonquil flicks Chol and the blade erupts into flames.

 

Together Epidote and Jonquil lunge at Oscar in a pincer attack but before either attack lands Oscar _disappears_ almost as if he teleported, Jonquil looks confused. Oscar appears behind both of them climbing the stairs up to the platform. A beat and suddenly he pivots, jumping back towards his opponents, he strikes Jonquil hard across the face and as Epidote moves forward to strike, he lunges forward and with a cry of exertion he launches the armor clad man straight into the ceiling once again.

 

When Epidote, hits the ground, both he and Jonquil remain there for a moment, Oscar stands in the middle of them.

 

Every time Oscar changes bodies his collective Auar is combined with the Aura of the new body, once they completely synchronized. However, he does not keep his semblance, that changes with each subsequent body. So on top of being blessed with body still in its prime and easily the largest Aura in all of Remnant, Oscar Pine was also blessed with one of the strongest semblances Blake had ever seen.

 

Jonquil and Epidote are back on their feet relatively quick, but suddenly Jonquil’s face shoots to the side as if her were struck again and it sends him back to the ground, Oscar still standing over him completely unmoving, Epidote lunges but instead of moving forward, he moves straight up, slamming into the ceiling once again and Oscar still hasn't moved

 

Oscar’s semblance was a straightforward one, he could loop any action _infinitely_ . Each time the action is looped it grows faster and more powerful. Blake thought of herself as cautious person, cautious enough to where she created battle strategies of everyone she knew, she kept a mental list of their strengths, their weaknesses, _just in case_ . There were only a _handful_ of people in her mental database that she was convinced she could _never_ beat in legitimate one-on-one fight to the death. _Yang Xiao Long, Ruby Rose, Qrow Branwen,_ and **_Oscar Pine_ ** _._

 

Ruby was far too fast, Qrow’s semblance was utterly unpredictable and his skill was always on another level compared to her, Yang with her semblance was almost unstoppable...and Oscar, _he was a impassable wall_.

 

He liked to come off as weaker than he was, he acted dismissive of his achievements, and overly critical of his failures, he was far too humble. _Except he wasn't_ , it was _an act_ to make him seem weaker than he really was. Blake knew that all Oscar really had to do was hit someone once and they would be dead. He could loop that single hit, millions upon hundreds of millions of times until his opponents were just a red stain on the floor, all at cost of Aura that was minimal to him. _But he didn't, because he wanted everyone to think he couldn't._

 

Blake couldn't help but wonder as she stood herself back up, if he would do it now.

 

Jonquil struggles to his feet, face bruised and bleeding. Epidote falls back to the floor, only to be flung back to the ceiling. Jonquil’s eyes dart around nervously. “Wh-what _is_ this?”. Oscar turns towards and swings his cane is series of swift bashes, hitting Jonquil all over.

 

Oscar stops swinging but the blows seem to keep coming, Jonquil continuously being flung about by what looked like an invisible force. He falls but the series of blows continue to loop.

 

Yet again Epidote hits the ceiling, and the moment he lands he hits again and again like a video clip on repeat. Blake can see the gears turning in Jonquil’s head as he rests himself against the stairs, continuously looking more and more battered as he gets hit faster and harder.

 

She almost feels sorry for them, she’s never seen Oscar so actively malicious before. _What exactly is your history together? Team RHSE were they friends of Jonquil’s? Was Epidote a member along with this Robin person, Jonquil mentioned that Oscar had killed Epidote, did he kill the rest of the team as well?_

The looped hits on Jonquil finally seem to subside, leaving Jonquil a _quivering_ , bloody mess. Blake sits herself up and gets back onto her feet, making her way towards the cowering Jonquil, Chol laying besides him, flames extinguished. He looked completely battered, covered in gashes and bruises. When he notices Blake he tries to back up further but he’s too injured to really move that far.

 

He looked at her with frightened golden eyes. “ _W-what_ is happening?!”

 

Something bursts when and Epidote hits the ceiling and he is showered in a heavy stream of clear liquid, the liquid must be scalding, as it instantly begins to steam up the room and increase the temperature, by its smell it is clearly not water. Epidote lies on the ground, his looped action also ceasing as the boiling liquid pours over him like faucet. Oscar looms over him ominously.

 

Blake meets Jonquil’s gaze. “I think it’s _over_ , Jonquil.”

 

He shakes his head and flecks of blood fly everywhere. His eyes are wild and bloodshot, Blake notes how they hold remarkable likeness to pools of liquid gold. He reaches into his coat pocket and and Blake instinctively aims her weapon and fires of a shot but not before he can grab whatever is in his coat pocket and throw it with shocking speed.

 

The bullet hits him square in the right shoulder and Jonquil cries out in agony, clutching the new, freely bleeding wound. The object soars through the air faster than Blake can dodge it and hits her on the left shoulder, however, she still has enough Aura that the object just glances off her and doesn't do any damage. It flies up into the air and Blake catches it with relative ease, still keeping her eyes and weapon trained on Jonquil.

 

He had thrown a syringe, filled with a clear liquid. Blake tossed it to the floor and stomped on it, she walks towards Jonquil, still lying on the stairs. “ _Lysergsäure-diäthylamid,_ I presume?”

 

Jonquil doesn't respond, instead he turns his head over to where Epidote was still lying, burning hot liquid still being showered onto him, so much was coming from the pipe that the room was starting to flood. “Epidote!-” he shouted hoarsely. “Get back on your _f-feet!_ This _isn't_ the end! This _can't_ be the end! This your chance for revenge!”

At his words, Epidote seemed to stir underneath his stream of liquid, he slowly gets back on his feet before emerging from the the cascade of liquid, dripping and steaming, he stomps towards Oscar with confidant steps, now seeming unperturbed. Oscar attacks with another rapid fire series of cane strike, which are shrugged off by the massive man.

 

Even as they began to loop, Epidote stays on Oscar, throwing punches and kicks.

 

Blake grabs Jonquil by the bloody scruff of his suit and pulls him the rest of the way up the stairs, towards the railing overlooking a drop off. She ignores his weak cries of pain and attempts of breaking free. She looks over the railing and couldn't help but gasp at the sight before her.

 

There stood the Queen Lancer, just as Ruby had described, hooked up to all manner of strange pipes and bondage. Also quite clearly pregnant with something that was _not just_ more Lancers, it was human shaped, that was for certain but the Queen’s belly was too opaque for her to ascertain anything else.

 

A shudder ran through Blake’s entire body, this had been the terrible aura she had sensed earlier and had only felt growing stronger. She dragged Jonquil to his feet and pointed his head towards the inhuman sight. “How do I stop _it_ from being born!?”

 

Jonquil wheezes as a choking kind of laugh wracked through his whole body. “You can’t stop her...not now, she minutes away from being born. _None_ of you can do _anything_ that matters.”

 

Blake groans and let go of Jonquil, causing to fall to the ground like a sack of rocks. She leaned over him. “There has to be _something_ , a  _kill-switch_ , a _neurotoxin!?_ ”

 

Jonquil just shakes his head. “Even _if_ there were...I still _wouldn't_ tell you.”

 

A series of curses pass through Blake’s lips as she paces around, trying to think of how to proceed. _If this...thing is born then we’re at a unbelievable disadvantage, Oscar could eek out a victory against a single trained Maiden, but a against a being with the power of four and the fighting instinct of a Grimm, she had no idea of how he might fare, their best chance would be Ruby and with amount of stress she’s under, there’s no telling how she might perform._

 

“You did me a real favor…killing Aqua, y’know.” Jonquil’s weak voice, shook Blake from her thinking.

 

Like a tidal wave, a cold feeling washed over Blake, despite how hot the room was becoming. “E-excuse me?”

 

“She was going tell the Kingdom’s about our plan, she tried to leak some documents and when we caught her, she ran..she was probably going straight for Vale. Everyone was scattered at the time and I thought _Zephyr_ was dead...you were the best agent I had at my disposal.”

 

Nausea bubbled up in Blake’s stomach, she had feared that killing Aqua had been something that benefited this madness. “Why? Why all of this? How do you really plan to make a ‘ _perfect world_ ’ through all this senseless killing?”

 

Jonquil shook his head. “It _wasn't_ senseless. We needed Auras to feed her, we needed distractions, we needed to stop people from investigating us. We- _I_ did what was necessary to nurture her and ensure she grew up healthy and strong!”

 

Blake scoffed, clearly the man before her was _insane_. Faint memories of the pictures in Jonquil’s office, the words Aqua had spoken, the hurt and betrayal in her voice, the anger, flash through her mind. “How much have you sacrificed and for what, for what really!? What happened to make you think that this was the right thing to do!?”

 

Another weak laugh tears its way through Jonquil, bringing up some blood with it, he points a shaky finger at Oscar, still fighting with Epidote. “ _Him_ ...he took everything from me and left me with only with only one lesson. Those who think people cannot change are _fools_ and _cowards!_ You _can_ change them, you can force them to change if you rebel, If you _fight!_ Fight against the nature of the world, you can change it!”

 

He slams his bloody fist into the metal grating beneath him, gritting his teeth and nearly frothing with rage. “But Ozpin! All he does is endure, _endure_ , **_endure_** , **_endure_** _!_ **_ENDURE!_** He’s strong enough to ignore the cruelty but I'm not, I'm weak, I can't stand it a second longer!”

 

Blake grabs Jonquil and pulls him up to her level. “That’s _enough!_ ”

 

A weak hand shoves her shoulder, almost unnoticeably. “He incited the Great War in order to assert his dominance over all the Kingdoms, with a child soldier as his right hand man. He used that very same child's traumatic life and twisted it into a legend designed to glorify the Hunter lifestyle. _He killed two first year Hunter’s in training because they didn't want to be a part of his plan._ ”

 

Jonquil smiled weakly. “We’re both monsters...but _she_ won't be. All the bad he’s done and that _I've_ done, will be overwritten by the good she will do.”

 

Blake didn't know how to respond. As true as some of things he said may have been, it still didn't make him right, Oscar fought for a tangible goal that benefitted the whole of Remnant, people may have died because of him and he may have used underhanded tactics but he was better than Salem and that all that mattered right?

 

_Right, Blake?_

 

Before her internal moral struggle could continue any further, there was a huge crash that shook the whole of the sixteenth floor as an airships crashed through left most wall, opposite of where Ruby and the others were. The vehicle smoked as everything seemed to slow down, even Oscar and Epidote ceasing their continued brawl for a few moments.

 

A blade shot through the cockpit windshield repeatedly until was shattered enough for the pilot to escape, landing on the tiled floor with a small splash, the liquid now reaching ankle depth.

 

It was Argus Keppel, clutching his bleeding stomach.

 

Blake drops Jonquil immediately and quickly descended the stairs, ignoring the burning sensation in her feet as it is slowly tuned out by her Aura. the floor was ceramic tiling so it was incredibly slippery but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.

 

The older man points his sword-spear at her and gestures for her to get out of his way. Blake doesn't comply instead she draws her weapon and empties its clip.

 

Despite the new terrain and his injury, Argus still manages to dodge each shot with a practiced ease. “I can't let you stop me.” he says, almost remorseful. “ _Ozpin’s_ all I want.”

 

Blake readies both her blades. “I can't let you stop me either...that Hybrid is all _I_ want.”      

 

“ _Then we are at odds._ ”

  
“ _So we are._ ”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alright so a few things. 
> 
> Volume 6 has concluded! and I have seen some of it(I think I still haven't got around to finishing it). I did see the episode that finally gave us some concrete-ish nature on how silver-eyes work, which is very different from my interpretation. its safe to say that I wont try to incorporate anything from volume 6 into this story and if I do it will probably be by accident. 
> 
> some of you may recall that I said I was gonna edit all the previous and then post this story to ff.net but after some glances here and there, I'm not sure if it will accomplish anything. so i might not do that but im still gonna edit all the older chapters, sooner or later.
> 
> this chapter and Chapter 18: Eminence Front are both named after songs I listened to a lot while writing each of these chapters respectively. this chapter is named after a Red Rider song and chapter 18's is a song by The Who. just thought I should mention that
> 
> simple rundown of Oscar's semblance: imagine a man leaning against a door, when suddenly Oscar kicks open the door, knocking the man over and then sprinting past him. Oscar could decide to loop the sensation the man got from being hit from the door, he could loop the door being swung open, or he could loop his action of kicking open the door, causing himself to instantly warp to the spot he had kicked the door. the reason why Unseelie/Epidote was stuck in a loop, unable to move was because Oscar looped the action of him being tossed into the air and hitting the ceiling. Jonquil was free to move because the only thing that was looping was the impact of Oscar's cane hits. 
> 
> yes this is very OP and that's by design, I think Oscar/Ozpin/Ozma(now I guess?) should be overpowered. also in case any one was wondering thematically I choose a Semblance that loops things for Oscar because it relates to the constant cyclical nature of his deaths and rebirths as other people, his life itself is looped you could say. 
> 
> sorry for the essay, if you have any lingering question dont hesitate to ask, see you later.


End file.
